Dinah Reiss, 19, Whitesburg Christian Academy, The University of Charleston
How would you describe your first year away at school? It was a huge change moving to a new city with no one you know. Thankfully, Charleston is hard not to fall in love with. I have met some incredible people that truly got me through late night study sessions and roommate drama.
What courses did you find most challenging or rewarding during your freshman year? I was required to take up to Calculus I for my biology major, so that was definitely my most challenging class. I think my most rewarding class, however, was my tennis class. It was a last minute decision to take the class with one of my friends, and neither of us had ever picked up a tennis racquet before. We were nowhere near the best players, but it was so much fun.
How have your career aspirations or goals evolved since starting college? I was pretty unsure about what I wanted to do up until my senior year of high school where I had an internship at a doctor’s office. I really enjoyed seeing all of the patient interactions and getting in on the occasional ear cleaning or EKG. After that, I knew I definitely wanted to pursue a career in the medical field.
What advice would you give to incoming freshmen interested in pursuing a career in medicine? I try to remember that everything will work out in its own time and although it is important to have a plan, it is also ok if things change or look different than someone else’s career path.
Have you had the opportunity to participate in any internships related to medicine? I had an internship my senior year of high school at Innova Primary Care. I was able to shadow the medical assistants and watch how they operate their office. This summer, I have the amazing opportunity to assist the nurses at YMCA Camp Harrison in North Carolina and will see a different side of medicine as well as still getting that opportunity to be a camp counselor, spend time outdoors, and feel like a kid.
What drives you to pursue a career in medicine? It is so common for people to feel like doctors don’t listen to them or to just feel overlooked by the healthcare system. I want to make a difference and make sure that people feel heard, comfortable, and taken care of.
What is your favorite quote? “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” -Winnie The Pooh
What is your favorite song/album? Sarah’s Place by Zach Bryan and Noah Kahan.
Brendan Martin, 18, Grissom High School Graduate, Air Force Academy
What made you decide to pursue a basketball career at the Air Force Academy? I have always wanted to play college basketball at the highest level, and I also wanted to serve my country, so it’s the best of both worlds.
How do you plan to balance the demands of being a student-athlete? My main plan is to be coachable, jump on my assignments right away, and not procrastinate.
How do you prepare mentally and physically for the challenges of playing basketball at a Division I level? Over the years my coach, and mentor Dion, have been pushing me and teaching me how to endure mentally every step of the way! Physically I’m lifting and conditioning 6 days a week and also continuously getting practice on
the court to work on my game.
What advice would you give to other aspiring student-athletes who are considering
pursuing a career in basketball at the collegiate level? Always bet on yourself no matter what anyone else says. It will come if you believe it and are willing to work for it. Hard work is undefeated!
Who has influenced you the most in life? The people who have influenced me the most are my papa and my parents. They have shown me the important skill of working hard and grinding for everything. My papa always volunteered to take me to training and tournaments. My parents constantly encouraged me.
What are some of your hobbies outside of basketball? Video games, pickleball, and I’ve recently been playing a little bit of frisbee golf. I also love going to church.
What is your favorite movie? I've got to go with a classic, Tommy Boy.
What is your favorite quote? “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” -Franklin D. Roosevelt
Duncan Smith, 22, Huntsville High School, University of Oklahoma graduate
At what age did you know you wanted to be an actor? I have known I wanted to be an actor for as long as I can remember. In first grade, we had a “career day” where everyone had to dress as the career they wanted in the future. I dressed up as an actor with a dramatic black turtleneck.
What was the first play you were in? What do you remember most about it? A musical called White Christmas. I wasn't given a named role, but I had a short solo. I practiced so hard for that five-second solo, and when I finally got to perform it, I was on top of the world!
What drew you to attend school in Oklahoma? I chose The University of Oklahoma because it has a phenomenal musical theater program. Still, more than that, I was drawn to the program because of the people. It was an inclusive, supportive, and inspiring group of young artists that I knew I wanted to be a part of.
What was one thing you learned in college that you feel will significantly impact your success in your career? In my four years at OU, I have learned that it is important to push the boundaries of what you think you can be.
What do you see yourself doing next? This summer I am moving to New York to pursue acting and musical theater.
What acting role have you enjoyed playing the most and why? I got to play the role of “Jackie” who is a tongueless dancer in a musical called The Wild Party. The entire cast never left the stage, and I will always remember this as one of my favorite experiences.
What advice do you have for someone who wants to pursue a career in acting or music? Always keep digging for what makes you feel passionate and alive.
I understand you enjoy listening to vinyl records. What is your favorite album? Hunky Dory by David Bowie is my go-to Vinyl!
What is your favorite quote? “No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatsoever at any time… There is only a queer dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than others” -Martha Graham
What is your favorite musical? Wicked.
John Connely, 18, Huntsville High School, University of Miami
What are you most excited about as you begin your college career at The University of Miami? My first game.
When did your love for football begin? In 8th grade when our football team went undefeated and won the City Championship at Huntsville Junior High School.
Who is your biggest mentor? My stepfather, Jon Murray, has been my biggest mentor. He has coached me since the age of 5.
Who is your favorite NFL player and what do you admire about them? Drew Brees. I enjoyed watching him play while I was growing up.
What do you love the most about playing football?
I love the atmosphere surrounding the game and all the fans, traditions, and excitement.
How do you mentally prepare for the pressure of a game?
I try not to overthink and just trust my form.
What are your hobbies outside of football?
Fishing, golfing, pickleball, and hiking.
What do you see yourself doing after you graduate from The University of Miami?
My dream is to play in the NFL, if that doesn’t work out, I would like to own my own business.
What advice do you have for other young boys who dream of playing football at a D1 University? Hard work and dedication. Have a good mentor/coach.
What is your favorite quote? Whether you think you can or can’t, you are right! -Henry Ford
What is your favorite movie? Interstellar
Sofie Bynum, 15, Randolph School
What first sparked your interest in wrestling? My brother first sparked my interest in wrestling because he was on the team for two years before I joined. I got into wrestling when I participated in their free week, which is a week where you can try out any sport. My French teacher, Mme. Davidson turned out to be a coach and dragged me into the practice.
What do you enjoy most about wrestling? The team spirit and physicality of it.
What challenges have you faced as a female wrestler? One challenge is not having many other women to go against during practices.
Have you found a strong community of support within the wrestling world? I believe that the girls wrestling world, at least in Huntsville, is much more positive and kind than the guys that I’ve seen. No hard feelings after the match and very sportsmanlike.
What advice would you give to other girls interested in getting involved in wrestling? My advice would be you never know how you’ll do until you go out there and try. If you told me last year that I would be wrestling, I would have called you crazy. Conditioning may be tough, but it’s always worth it in the end.
What goals and aspirations do you have outside of wrestling? My goals outside of wrestling are to maintain above a 4.0 GPA, have a social life, and get enough sleep. I want to go to a good college and explore art restoration after graduating.
What is our favorite movie? I have to say fantastic Mr. Fox, Spaceballs, or Emperor’s New Groove.
What is your favorite quote? “Youth is something I never want to take for granted. I just want to smile and live life” -Tyler, The Creator
Harrison Watts, 21
As the owner of a successful landscaping company at only 21 years old, what would you say has been your biggest motivation? My biggest motivation is my love for what I do as well as to create a career for myself that challenges me and helps me grow as a person.
What was your dream career growing up? When I was younger I wanted to be a paleontologist.
What piqued your interest in the landscaping industry? My love for the outdoors.
What challenges did you face in starting your own business, and how did you
overcome them? A lot of challenges come with running a business. I overcome these by controlling what I can and remaining calm when faced with adversity.
What have you done to grow your customer base, and how do you retain new
customers? I have built a customer base by maintaining a standard of quality and reliability.
Where do you see the direction of your business going over the next 10 years? Over the next 10 years, I see my business growing significantly and providing a broader range of services to the Huntsville area.
What advice would you give to other young entrepreneurs who would like to start
their own business? I would encourage young entrepreneurs to treat all people with respect and stay disciplined during times of stress.
What is your favorite quote? ''Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later."- Og Mandino
What is your favorite movie? Prisoners
Hatten Hess, 16 Randolph School
Where did your love of music originate? For as long as I can remember, I have loved music. There is no telling what truly sprouted this love within me, however, I'm very confident that my father has helped. I remember singing and dancing in my living room performing a song he had just shown me.
How did it feel to record at FAME where so many great artists have made iconic
music? At first, I didn’t understand the immensity of greatness that has walked through those doors. I’ve recently realized how much of an honor it is to sit on the same couch as some of the most historic and groundbreaking artists, like Aretha Franklin, Etta James, and the Rolling Stones.
What artists have had an impact on your songwriting? Zach Bryan and Jason Isbell are major influencers on my pieces. The way they can create a story is amazing.
How do you balance school, soccer, music, and your social life? My schedule is definitely more hectic in the fall, balancing club soccer, cheer, and music. My weekends are set for socializing, and my weeks are strictly for academics, sports, and guitar
lessons. The way I balance my activities hangs on my wall. I am very OCD and I label different activities in different colors on my calendar. That is the only way I can keep up with all I have in one day. However, my songwriting ideas cannot be pinned down at a certain time. They truly just come to me at random times. In school, I write song lyrics on the back of gum wrappers when they pop in my head so I can remember the lyrics.
Now that you’ve recorded your first few songs, where do you see your music career
heading in the future? My biggest dream would be to experience my love of music as a living. But as of right now, I think my next step is to start playing some local gigs and become more prevalent on social media. My first EP will come out soon. An EP is a small album that gets sent to numerous record labels and producers.
What advice do you have for other young people who aspire to pursue music?
Don’t ever let anyone tell you how to be yourself. The way you express yourself through music is solely yours. Be the you that you want to be.
What is your favorite movie? Tangled
What is your favorite quote? “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
Shalem Lev, 22
Tell us about your background, when did you start traveling and when did your love
for coffee begin? My love for travel and coffee, funny enough, began at the same time. When I was 14 years old, my family and I traveled to Hawaii, and we stayed on a coffee farm. This was the first time I had tried more than a few sips of coffee.
What is the most interesting coffee you’ve tried? During the process of turning coffee cherries into coffee beans, someone had the idea to ferment the cherries along with other fruits such as strawberries. I tried a cup of this several months ago at a coffee shop in Portland, Oregon, and it was definitely the most interesting coffee I have ever had.
Where is your favorite place you’ve traveled? The history, food, people, and culture of Italy are incredible.
What inspired you to spend time working with orphans in Ukraine?
I remember watching live updates as Russia began its invasion and witnessing the resistance of the Ukrainian people fighting back against Russia. I had a strong pull to do something to help so I raised money, flew to Europe, and volunteered with an amazing organization on the Romania-Ukraine border. We were sending 12,000 pounds of supplies and food into Ukraine every week.
What did an average day working with the children in Ukraine look like?
I would help out by watching and spending time with them. I also helped renovate one of the buildings to accommodate more children.
What kind of career do you see yourself leading in the coming years? I plan to start a coffee roasting business next year and look forward to bringing incredible coffee to Huntsville. I know I will do much more than just coffee in my life, and through business I plan to leave a legacy by doing some good in the world.
What is your favorite quote? “Every person that you meet knows something you don't; learn from them.” - H. Jackson Brown Jr.
What is your favorite movie? Ratatouille!