By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO – Shelby County Juvenile Court Services and the Shelby County Children’s Policy Council hosted an awards ceremony dedicated to students who consistently demonstrate exceptional character at the schools they attend.

The Character in Action Awards were held on Thursday, April 17 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the American Village Ballroom in Montevallo. The awards are a partnership between the Shelby County Juvenile Court, the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, the American Legion Matthew Blount Post 555 and the school districts in Shelby County.

Students from the various schools represented were recognized for making a positive impact through actions that reflect the core values of respect, responsibility, citizenship, self-discipline, friendship, fairness, perseverance and courage.

Judge Erin Wellborn, Shelby County’s District Court judge, and Shaun Styers, the chief juvenile probation officer for Shelby County, organized and implemented the event. Wellborn described the event as having an electric atmosphere, while Styers believes the event highlights more than tangible achievements.

“The thing that I love most about it is that it just highlights goodness more than academics, sports or anything else,” Styers said. “It’s about how decent of a human being you are… It is based solely on who has the best character.”

The event is held twice a year, with Alabaster, Hoover and Pelham City Schools represented in this year’s class.

Styers highlighted one of the important parts of the ceremony as his favorite to witness.

“Every single child gets a medal from American Legion,” Styers said. “We all just take a moment to really highlight that child. That’s the greatest part of it for me.”

Wellborn believes that in a world that tends to look on the pessimistic side, uplifting events like this one can serve as vitally important to a community.

“I feel that in this day and time we are so inundated with negativity,” Wellborn said. “We tend to immediately see the bad in society… This is just an opportunity for pure goodness. This is the opportunity to acknowledge and make a big deal about being kind, compassionate and being a good person… It’s certainly one of the best parts of the year for me in this job.”

Wellborn further expressed her hope that the awards received by the students only strengthen the schools they are a part of.

“We do it from kindergarten to 12th grade, and the students go back and talk about the experience with their peers,” Wellborn said. “I’m hoping that by hearing about the experience from another child, it inspires them to be better and to hopefully get that award next year.”

Students are nominated via a form that is sent out to the administrators of every single school represented. Each school has the discretion after this to come up with their own process and nominate students. Schools generally take in requests and nominations from faculty and staff for the awards by deciding who is awarded the honor.

Styers concluded by talking about the array of projects the Children’s Policy Council puts together, including the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and the Pinwheels For Prevention campaign, emphasizing that projects like the Character in Action Awards are essential for a community’s vitality.

“Honestly, what we need more than anything else is an ability to fundraise in order to continue these projects moving forward, with help from the community,” Styers said.

The following students from Alabaster City Schools, Pelham City Schools and Hoover City Schools were honored at the awards:

• Millie Rose Simpson (Creek View Elementary)
• Natalya Gonzalez (Meadow View Elementary School)
• Stella Hall (Thompson Intermediate School)
• Zoe Moore (Thompson Middle School)
• John Smitherman (Thompson High School)
• Forster Hamby (Pelham Oaks Elementary)
• Emmy Robinson (Pelham Ridge Elementary)
• Zachary Orr (Pelham Park Middle School)
• Kyle O’Neil (Pelham High School)
• Marlene Moreno (Day Program)
• Julia McCay (Riverchase Elementary School)
• McKinley Dolihite (Barry Middle School)
• Gabrielle Moore (Bumpus Middle School)
• Katie Laney (Spain Park High School)