Scott Caldwell

            Scott Caldwell is the manager of a location in a company that sells multiple snack foods.  He is also a baseball coach at Hidden Valley and he has had that position for 12 years.  He has been a fan of baseball since he was 7 years old when his father showed it to him.  He is very acknowledged in baseball and in his daily job.  In his line of duty Mr. Caldwell knows what to do to succeed in either baseball or in his cookie company.

            Mr. Caldwell is very driven and competitive, and he teaches friends and family to be so.  Once, his daughter got a concussion, but still managed to finish her cheerleading performance.  “If you start something, you finish it,” said Mr. Caldwell, 47.

            His job is a manager of people, he has around fifteen sales representatives that report to him in the company and he reports back to his boss. In part of his job he has something that he calls the Three C’s of Leadership. First he casts a vision for his employees, which means that people need to set goals and shoot for them. The second is to clear the road, which means that as a manager you need to help clear all the obstacles in order for them to reach their goal. The last C is come from behind, which what he meant by saying that is ignore all insults and everything from the people up top and come up, and start to sell more than them.

            At Hidden Valley High School Mr. Caldwell has been coaching for about twelve years. One thing that he said, “You’re a coach in everything you do,” which means everything that you do help show others the way. His favorite memory as a coach is when he first moved here, because everything was new to him and it was a very different and interesting experience. The hardest thing about being a coach in his opinion was finding a way to manage time between his day time job and being a coach. As a young boy his father introduced him to baseball, and in school his favorite memory as a player was when he was the winning pitcher in the league championship. He also said, “I decided to keep the competitive spirit, it’s always good to keep the competitive spirit.”

            

Ben Davis

     Ben Davis has been a doctor for 11 years. He specializes in family medicine at Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Dr. Davis is also a wound care doctor for the department of surgery. He doesn’t perform large surgeries, but he might occasionally help other doctors. Dr. Davis will perform some bed side surgeries, though. Also, Dr. Davis has gone on many mission trips to places such as Haiti, Mexico, Ecuador, and Guatemala. On his mission trips, Dr. Davis gives medical care to people in need of a healthier life.

     Dr. Davis has been working on his career since he was 31 years old. He said, “I’ve always wanted to be a doctor since I was a young kid.” Dr. Davis claims that there are many challenges of being a doctor, such as dealing with stubborn patients and difficult insurance companies. But along with all the challenges come very rewarding moments, such as breaking through barriers, doing fun procedures and being able to witness patients heal and recover. Dr. Davis said, “Seeing a patient get better is very, very rewarding and exciting.”

     Dr. Davis said that his main inspiration to become a doctor came from his father. He said, “I always knew I wanted to do something to help people’s health.” After reading over his father’s old cases, Dr. Davis realized his passion to become a doctor. He has a wife named Jill and two daughters named Caroline and Samone. He cares about everyone’s well-being and he loves to help his patients see the upside of things. Dr. Davis received his medical training at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, UCLA and Ross University in Portsmouth, Dominica.

     Dr. Davis is a dedicated, thoughtful doctor. He cares about people’s health and loves being able to help them. Dr. Davis’ ability and passion to save lives and better people’s health make him a Hidden Hero. 

Tim McSherry

Tim McSherry has been a paramedic for 37 years. He started as a volunteer EMT in Roanoke City in 1980. Mr. McSherry began to work for a paid job in 1984. He works 24 hour shifts, with four days off a week at Fire Station 1 on Franklin and Elm Avenue. Mr. McSherry is the captain of his station, and is certified to teach. He has two sons, and a daughter. When not working, Mr. McSherry spends his free time coaching volleyball and playing racquetball.

This kind of job really shows how selfless you have to be, “We have to be ready to get up when the buzzer hits and immediately go from a dead sleep to emergency mode,” he said. Not only is Mr. McSherry selfless, but he is dedicated to what he does, “I rattle, but I don’t rattle easily, when you’re not sure what to do stand up, step back, take a deep breath, in with the good air out with the bad air,” said Mr. McSherry.

During stressful times, and tragic endings, Mr. McSherry and his crew have to be sympathetic towards one another. He said, “I love sitting down with my guys and having a good cry. It keeps us sane.” Mr. McSherry believes the most important thing about his job is, “Going home, getting a paycheck, nah! Once in a while we do something that actually makes a difference in somebody’s life.”

Mr. McSherry is courageous, and a hardworking paramedic. He dedicates his time to help families and people daily, and expects nothing in return. Mr. McSherry has a passion to help people which makes him a hidden hero!

Tim Axley

Tim Axley is a technology teacher at Hidden Valley Middle School in Roanoke, VA.  Although he is a new teacher in Roanoke, having moved here in 2015, Mr. Axley has been teaching for 26 years.  He acquired his master’s degree in education at the Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA.  Mr. Axley is a hidden hero for his outstanding devotion to the children in his classes and for his inventive ability to create an engaging class that allows students to enjoy learning.  Students leave his class with plenty of knowledge concerning valuable skills for the future, along with a positive attitude.

Mr Axley never thought about the possibility of being a teacher as an adult during his childhood, but the idea first occurred to him when he was taking a leadership class in the Navy.  The class developed a determination to teach within him, and he eventually made his way to the middle-school classroom.  Mr. Axley teaches middle-school technology because he learns alongside the students, he can comfortably teach the students, and he enjoys using the technology in the classroom.  “Being a teacher forces me to learn,” says Mr. Axley, when asked how he taught his classes; he learns how to operate new forms of technology and software through his classes, and then he teaches the students using the knowledge he discovered.  This method is innovative to format a Tech ED curriculum.  Being able to comfortably teach is very important, for according to the wise Mr. Axley, “If you aren’t happy with a group of people, you won’t perform at your peak efficiency.”

Mr. Axley is very interested in his job, and the determination to educate students about the uses of technology is apparent in the time spent after school or in one-on-one discussions with students to help them understand the material.  This is shown when he said, “I think about what I said, what I did, what I could have done,” showing persistence in perfecting the ever-changing curriculum for technology.  Mr. Axley makes the best decisions in achieving this goal by incorporating communication and collaboration into his classes.  He has encountered several classes in which the students have no desire to understand the material being discussed in the class, but it only challenges him further to educate the students.  Mr. Axley had a student who slept through his classes, so he talked to the child about the issue.  The student said he couldn’t sleep at night, so Mr. Axley would come to school early in the morning to let the student sleep before school began instead of sleeping in class, demonstrating his devotion to his students.  Mr. Axley, discussing his feelings about teaching, said, “I’m getting more comfortable with teaching middle school than I was before…if it stops getting better, I’m not doing what I need to do.” 

Mr. Axley is a humorous, passionate man who lights up the path before him by educating students and providing an outlet to people who need it.  He tries to understand the difficulties of the students and helps them through their problems while teaching others about the amazing abilities of the technology around them.  Mr. Axley has encouraged young people to fight for a brighter future, and he deserves to be recognized for those deeds. 

Thomas Schmitt

            Thomas Schmitt, 48, has been a math teacher for 27 years. He was born in Pittsburg Pennsylvania. Mr. Schmitt got his teaching degree at the California State University of Pennsylvania and then moved to South Hill, Virginia. He first taught at Park View High School in South Hill, VA. After South Hill he moved to Roanoke and bounced around jobs teaching at different place before he settled at Hidden Valley High School. He is married to his wife Theresa and has one son, Tommy.

            “When I was in college I had an experience where I was given the opportunity to work with younger kids, helping them out with math issues they were having at the time,” Mr. Schmitt said. He said after that experience, “I wanted to pursue a career in education instead of accounting.”

            When Mr. Schmitt finally got his teaching degree he began to teach at Park View High School and eventually found himself here teaching at Hidden Valley and at Virginia Western Community College. Mr. Schmitt said that at times teaching can be stressful and “The most difficult part of my job is trying to relate information to students in a way that is meaningful to them.” He went on to say that the most rewarding part of teaching is when he helps a student succeed. Mr. Schmitt hopes to become a principle before he retires.

            Mr. Schmitt is genuinely dedicated to his work and has worked for years improving the Roanoke County community through educating and inspiring the youth. It’s because of his tireless efforts and motivation that he should be recognized a Hidden Hero.

Stevie Woods

            Stevie Woods has been a Latin teacher at Hidden Valley for 4 years. She is a dedicated teacher who lives in Roanoke with her 13 year-old daughter. Ms. Woods took on the Environmental Club her second year teaching after another teacher was not able to run the club anymore. Although the club does many things, its main aspect is recycling. Ms. Woods collects and recycles bags full of water bottles, paper, and other recyclable things that the students and teachers use throughout the school.

            “I realized that nobody was collecting the recycling anymore…so I just decided…that I’ll start a club, and if it’s going to be anything I’ll do the Environmental Club.” Ms. Woods said. She takes all of the recycling to the Brambelton Center herself with her personal car. She said that whenever the bins at the center are full, she has to leave it in her car until they clear up. The club also plants trees in places like Garst Mill Park. She tries to get the students involved with it by making a contest of who can collect the most plastic bags and take them to Kroger, or this year she is making a spirit week dedicated to the club.

            Ms. Woods has used Titan 21 to inform people about it and raise money for the club. As the club has grown, the school has started to provide bags, which has helped save the club money. The club has also gotten other people involved like Deca. She says, “It has inspired other students to branch off with it… I’d like to see the program grow,” Ms. Woods says, “The staff itself is really supportive of it, and they’re patient with me.” She achieved a lot for Hidden Valley and the people with the school by starting the Environmental Club. 

Shari Coolbaugh

            Dr. Shari Coolbaugh is an optometrist in Roanoke, Virginia. In the past she has volunteered at the Free Health Clinic, Rescue Mission, Straight Street, and the Blue Ridge Center. She frequently goes on mission trips to all different types of places to help support people in need. In addition to that, Dr. Coolbaugh, along with her husband and four children, sponsors four children through a program called Compassion. She and her family try to go on at least one mission trip per year, and she usually incorporates her work into those trips.

            Dr. Coolbaugh dedicates a lot of her time to helping improve the places she travels to on her mission trips, including providing glasses for people who may have not even known that they had a vision impairment. “It’s so rewarding. I never get tired of it. I never want to stop, and the line of people waiting for glasses just keeps growing and growing. I always just hope there are enough good pairs for everyone,” she said. When discussing how she helps out, Dr. Coolbaugh is humble about what she does. “It’s just such a blessing. The people are by far my favorite part about the trips. Eating what they eat and meeting them, it changes you and the way you think. It broadens your scope,” Dr. Coolbaugh said. “It changes us more than them.”

            The Coolbaugh family sponsors two children from Rwanda, along with two others from Combo. When they sponsor a child they provide a certain amount of money per month for each child. Dr. Coolbaugh mentioned that children can’t get an education until they are sponsored by someone. When asked about her main goal to achieve by sponsoring the kids she said, “For them to have a relationship with God, to be able to provide for themselves and their families, and get an education.”

The first child Dr. Coolbaugh started sponsoring, named Rukundo, has graduated out of the Compassion program and now has a job as a tailor. When a child turns 21, they graduate out of the Compassion program, and no further communication services are provided. “We weren’t sure what had happened to him since he left the program. I was so excited when I heard from him. I was at work, and they called me out while I had a patient and said that I had to come to the phone for just a minute. I got to facetime Rukundo, and when he saw me on the camera he just put his head down and wept. I broke down in the middle of work and cried,” Dr. Coolbaugh said.

Dr. Coolbaugh is a passionate and dedicated person. Her work on mission trips and her charitable contributions to the children she sponsors makes a difference in many different places and many different lives. Her inspirational and ambitious attitude are what make Dr. Coolbaugh a Hidden Hero!

            

Ryan Mitchell

          Ryan Mitchell has played football since he was 7 years old. He is now a senior at Hidden Valley High school. Mitchell was a captain of the football team during his junior and senior years, and now has committed to play wide receiver at the Naval Academy this fall. He first started playing football at Glenvar in a rec league. Then he moved into the Hidden Valley district, and now has played football for Hidden Valley ever since. He also had two older sisters graduate from Hidden Valley High School.

            Mitchell has been inspired to play football since a young age, “Going to Virginia Tech football games with my dad made me want to play football,” he said. He is very determined to help his team win and is a good leader on and off the field. “The most rewarding part about being a captain is having the younger kids look up to me,” he said. Mitchell’s dedication to the game of football has contributed to his success, and he has had some remarkable memories as a Titan football player. “My favorite memory was my sophomore year at Northside, because I scored my first varsity touchdown,” he said.

            Mitchell is a great person in and out of the locker room. His hard work and dedication help motivate the younger kids on the team. Mitchell’s leadership and dedication make him a Hidden Hero!

Richard Evans

Mr. Richard Evans has been holding a Halloween party for the mentally disabled for the last 41 years. He began in 1975 when someone asked his band to hold a Halloween party for mentally challenged kids and adults, and he agreed. He bases his parties in American Legion, and works with many clubs, businesses, and schools to get the necessary materials for his event. His has been recognized by the county for his work. He lives in Roanoke and has children and grandchildren.

Mr. Evans is very determined and outgoing to continue these parties, even though he didn’t have any real reason to start. He said, “We’ve been doing this party for the last 41 years. People think that I started this party because I had a relative that’s ID (intellectually disabled), but I don’t. I started this because I was asked, and I’ve continued ever since.” He started in the Hotel Roanoke his first year which he later left for a more handicapped accessible space, and talked with the Totera’s Women’s Club, who have been partners ever since. Many high school and college kids volunteer to help with equipment, materials, and staffing. Bands perform and businesses donate food, gifts, and equipment, so the all the parties have been completely free of charge.

Mr. Evans chose Halloween as the time for the parties because the guests can be anything, not just a mentally disabled person. He said, “The love Halloween the most because it’s the only time that they can be whoever or whatever they want to be.” His kindness and acceptance has also gotten him good friends. He said, “On the first year we threw the party, I met someone named Rickey Sharp who had Down syndrome. We became good friends, and I later promoted him to Honorary Band Manager.”

Mr. Evans is a very kind, accepting, and outgoing person. The purpose of the parties is to make the mentally disabled feel included and happy. His work with the ID changes lives and helps people slip away from their lives and into a brand new world of whatever they want for an evening. He continues this tradition because he knows it positively effects the ID and their families. Mr. Evans’ determination and love for all people make him a worthy Hidden Hero!

Peter Lewis

            Apple Ridge Farms is a popular camp located in Roanoke, Virginia, and is dedicated to helping kids learn about the environment. Peter Lewis, the founder of Apple Ridge, has always enjoyed educating people of all ages. He worked as an educator for fifty-two years, and was heavily influenced by his parents. Now retired, Peter Lewis, at seventy-three years old, enjoys reading and belongs to the National Rail Historic Society. He lives in Roanoke now.

            Because of his diverse background, Mr. Lewis is very intelligent. “I have been educated for 52 years, [and] I was heavily influenced by my parents.” he said. “My mom used to teach in Washington D.C. and my dad worked as an attorney in college.” When he was younger, Mr. Lewis would always get excited and cheery when he was told they were going to his aunt’s dairy farm. “I had a dairy farm and wanted to share the experience with other people,” he said. This early experience influenced Apple Ridge Farms very heavily.

            Mr. Lewis cares about what kids experience. “My interest in children, to give them something different to learn, heavily influenced Apple Ridge,” he said. Mr. Lewis decided to retire in 2000. He now enjoys travelling. “I enjoy traveling because I love having new experiences,” said Mr. Lewis.

            Overall, Mr. Lewis is very selfless and driven to what he does. He enjoys letting people, especially kids, have new experiences and learn new things. Mr. Lewis’s caring, educated, and cheerful personality helped him reach out to many kids for new experiences.

Lori Wimbush

Ms. Lori Wimbush has had a job in education for a while now. She knew she wanted to become an educator in her junior year of high school. She was heavily influenced by her teachers and family. She went to Liberty University and Radford and got three different degrees and one of them was in social sciences. Next she became a social studies teacher because of her love for history. Ms. Wimbush was encouraged to become more of a leader, this caused her to become an assistant principal at a young age.

Ms. Wimbush is very supportive of her students and teachers in their academic and athletic interests. She always makes an extra effort  to attend sporting events and extracurricular activities on her own time. "I just remember my experiences as a high school athlete, student and not really seeing any of our administrators there or teachers , and then they show up and you're like wow that’s pretty cool. And I think you all are taking the time to engage in these activities and we need to support you," she said.

Ms. Wimbush is very selfless and never puts anything in the school ahead of the students needs. "I'm always wanting to do what is best for the kids, a lot of tough decisions have to be made, but we have to do what is best for you all. So you know some of the driving forces we have made is you all," she said.

Also Ms. Wimbush is very motivated and influential. She is motivated by her students to do her job to the best of her ability. "There are a lot of things not fun about being a principal like paper work and stuff, but when we walk in the halls and see you guys laughing it makes it all worthwhile," she said.

Ms. Wimbush has enjoyed her time at Hidden Valley "I love it here. It's been great. It's been fun and everyone is so friendly," but Hidden Valley definitely loves having her working at the high school more. These reasons show why Ms. Wimbush is a Hidden Hero.

Kyla Dance

          Kyla Dance has been a school counselor for 7 years. Graduating from VT as an undergrad and Radford with masters. Living in Christiansburg with her husband and dog Bailey , She started working at Christiansburg High for four years before going to Stonewall Jackson middle three years ago. Ms. Dance spends her days as a counselor balancing testing, scheduling, enrolment and her students. Ms. Dance helps kids work out their problems, and helps them grow as a person academically.

            Ms. Dance is a hardworking and focused school counselor. “My favorite part is just helping the kids work through their different problems, it’s difficult at times, but that’s the most rewarding part.is seeing them grow from a challenge and come out the other side,” she said. Ms. Dance is quick to act when needed, the past three years she has worked at SJMS the principal and teachers have changed. “It isn’t always a walk in a park being a counselor though Ms. Dance is focused to do her job and help anyone in need,” she says.   Being the dependable person, she is there for the new teachers when she is needed. As part of her job she takes care of the kids and their scheduling or drama. “I work with students in the classroom, in small groups, and one on one,” she says. Knowing to be there with to students and their different obstacles is difficult but Ms. Dance understand them and help them through anything. She had even started the Anti-bullying club to help those students in need. “I love my job because every day is different and every day I get to help someone,” she says.

            Ms. Dance is an amazing counselor and a cheerful person in general. She works with her students every day to makes she that they make the most of their middle school life and that’s it the best time of their lives.  Ms. Dance dedication has made her an hidden hero.

Kevin Richardson

            Kevin Richardson has been a teacher for 15 years. He got his degree and license from 

Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, and he worked at schools in North and South Carolina before coming to teach at Hidden Valley 14 years ago, 10 of which were as a special-ed teacher. Mr. Richardson coached JV Baseball at Hidden Valley for a few years as well. He lives in Roanoke with 3 children and a wife. He is dedicated to making his classroom a fun environment. Mr. Richardson has built strong relationships with his students over the years, which gives his students a comfortable and welcoming environment to learn in.

            Mr. Richardson is positive and motivated to come to school every day, because he enjoys his students and building a strong relationship with them. He said, “The relationships you build with students. That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to do high school over middle school or elementary school, because I feel like you can actually have conversations and build relationships with students.” Mr. Richardson is a very enthusiastic teacher and person. When asked how he incorporates enthusiasm and fun into his class, he said, “I try to let students interact with each other. I agree that sometimes some of the assignments aren’t the most fun, but allowing students to talk with one another and engage with one another and have conversations with one another, whether they’re about material or not.”

            Mr. Richardson had a learning disability as a child, and the teachers told him he wouldn’t be able to go to college. He wanted to do his best to overcome this disability and help other children like him. When asked what originally motivated him to become a teacher, he replied, “I got into teaching because I have a learning disability myself, not necessarily the best reader or writer in the world, so I was in the special-ed program, had an IEP, and all that kind of stuff all through elementary and middle school. So, I wanted to get into teaching to help students who had difficulties like I did going up through education.” Mr. Richardson was very considerate and selfless to dedicate his time to helping other students that grew up like him.

Mr. Richardson is a great teacher, and he works hard to teach his students the material and prepare them for the SOLs while still having fun. There is no one more considerate than Mr. Richardson, and that is why he is a Hidden Hero.

Kevin Jones

Kevin Jones is a member of the custodial staff at Hidden Valley High School.  He was hired through GCA and has been working at Hidden Valley for two and a half years. He shows up every day and works cleaning halls, classrooms, and the cafeteria. He helps teachers and students with whatever they need. The amazing part? He does all his work to the best of his ability with a constant smile on his face.

Mr. Jones genuinely cares for the students. He said, “[The students] bring a smile to my face. With them it’s always something new. Even if I do have something going on in my personal life, I know that when I get here it’s going to be fun.” Mr. Jones is always happy to talk, help, or socialize with students. When asked how he keeps such a positive attitude all the time he said, “You get to a point where you just enjoy life. I look at the glass half full rather than half empty.” Even teachers feel the radiant effect of his happiness. Mrs. Weaver said, “He is often not thanked for his work. He goes above and beyond what a normal custodian has to do. He always does it with a positive attitude.”

Mr. Jones is a genuinely happy and caring person. His daily attitude, openness, and happiness uplifts and encourages students and teachers at Hidden Valley High school. His positive attitude is infectious. People around him cannot resist also being in a good mood. This, combined with his work ethic, make him a hero.

Jon Laughinghouse

          Jon Laughinghouse is a pastor at Belmont Baptist Church in Southeast Roanoke. Mr. Laughinghouse, a 42 year old man, is from Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, he has lived in the Roanoke area since 2007. In the late 1950’s a factory shut down that took away hundreds of jobs from the community, ever since the factory shut down the community has been on a steady decline. People have left Southeast Roanoke, the average income has greatly decreased, and there has been crime and drug use all over Southeast Roanoke.

          When Mr. Laughinghouse first moved into the Roanoke area he and his wife have helped the people of Southeast. They started helping selflessly by going into the Southeast community every weekend to help serve a pancake breakfast to the people of Southeast Roanoke. As Mr. Laughinghouse said, “In some ways it was kind of unfair to leave all these kids behind and take my own kids back to our neighborhood.” Mr. Laughinghouse wanted to help more than just with a pancake breakfast he and his wife bought a home in the Southeast neighborhood and joined forces with Belmont Baptist Church in January of 2016. When they joined with Belmont Baptist Church they started to generously give even more of their time to help the community. Mr. Laughinghouse said, “It was a lot of work, kind of like a marriage,” when talking about joining Belmont Baptist Church.

In the past year Mr. Laughinghouse, his wife, and many other people who have decided to help with the move to Belmont Baptist Church have given a ton of time trying to reach out to these people. It is easy to be inspired by someone who has made so many efforts to help others. As he says, “I feel like I am an ambassador for Southeast Roanoke,” Mr. Laughinghouse has gone into the heart of the community to help these people in a broken world and a worn down neighborhood. When asked about how the people have responded to his actions and how it has gone in helping these people Mr. Laughinghouse says it best, “A lot of the time that’s what people in these situations need is a friend, someone to talk to, vent to, get encouragement from, because a lot of times they don’t have the support system we have.” Mr. Laughinghouse’s outgoing and friendly nature has made it easy for him to talk to and get to know the community of Southeast Roanoke.

Mr. Laughinghouse has gone from helping serve pancakes to being the lead pastor at Belmont Baptist Church. His efforts teamed with support from family, friends, and other churches have allowed him to reach out to this community and do something to help the people, businesses, and community of Southeast Roanoke, in some ways you could say he has been a hero to the Southeast community.

Father Joseph Leiman

       Joseph Leiman is from Hampton, Virginia and is 62 years of age. Mr. Leiman has been a pastor for 37 years now. He got his priesthood education from St. Meinard Seminary College in Indiana where he majored in Biology and student teaching. Mr. Leiman is the oldest of three boys and three girls. He has been a priest at Our Lady of Nazareth Church for about 35 years.

            Mr. Leiman is a very caring priest. He helps homeless people in our area and takes mission trips to Haiti to help victims of the earthquake and most recent hurricane. “I think sharing ourselves is probably the most important thing,” he said when asked what he finds most important in helping the homeless. He showed sympathy for the people he helps when he said, “you don’t want people to feel like they’re less than or they have less than others.”

He showed how loving he was for people when he said, “People are fascinating,” and smiled after it. Mr. Leiman is extremely selfless and he displayed that when he said, “We can give charity or we can give help or we can give money or we can give books or we can do all those kinds of things, but if we’re not sharing ourselves, I think we’ve missed the boat.”  “We’ve become part of something that is bigger than ourselves,” he says when asked why he is helping all the people he helps.

Mr. Leiman is a special priest and a selfless person. His work with lesser privileged people makes him a shining light in this world and he makes the areas that he helps that much of a better place to live in. Mr. Leimans’ sympathy and selflessness make him a great Hidden Hero.

Jim Struzinsky

Mr. Jim Struzinsky has taught for many years. He graduated from Syracuse University and worked for Marriott International before officially becoming a teacher. Mr. Struzinsky comes from a lineage of teachers starting as early as 1812 and currently teaches sixth grade history at Hidden Valley Middle School. He works hard and is devoted to help get his students to love history and to pass the SOL. He lives in Roanoke with his wife and three daughters.

Before Mr. Struzinsky became a teacher he worked for Marriott International. After working many hours a week, he realized that he needed something better to support his family. He decided then to become a teacher. He says that, “Anyone can make money in business, but it’s much harder to do this kind of thing, to develop a mind.” He is hard-working and is always happy when a student is finally able to understand the subject. He says, “The most rewarding aspect about being a teacher is, of course you’re never going to have enough pay, you’re never going to get enough recognition; what’s rewarding is when that child who couldn’t do, can do and understands why.”

Mr. Struzinsky is also very compassionate to his students. He says “I am able to understand everyone’s situation because I have taught so many different grades.” His teaching style is great for sixth graders because his joking style makes them feel at ease as they make the change into middle school. He is also articulate and helps his students understand history well.

Mr. Struzinsky’s dedication and love of teaching make him a Hidden Hero. Teachers do not usually get the recognition they deserve. Coming from a long line of teachers, he inspires all of his students to do what they love.

Gustavo Ruiz

Mr. Gustavo Ruiz has been teaching Spanish for 17 years. He took classes in several different universities, and then taught for 6 years at a high school near North Carolina before coming to Hidden Valley. He lived in Columbia happily with his family until people threatened to kill his family. Once he was threatened, he moved to America but one of his sons couldn’t make it. His oldest son ended up moving to Mexico where he lived for ten years before reuniting with his father. Mr. Ruiz spends most his time preparing and teaching his Spanish classes, but also finds time to write a Spanish newspaper for the community.

Mr. Ruiz loves to teach Spanish and enjoys seeing his students succeed. He said, “I love teaching… I love teaching and I am happy every time the students are making progress.” There are challenges that can come up when teaching Spanish. “The most frustrating thing about teaching Spanish is when the students do not want to learn.” He said. Mr. Ruiz finds it difficult to teach students that don’t have the drive to learn Spanish because he puts so much effort into preparing his classes. The Struggles of teaching pay off when he sees that they are learning, “The most rewarding feeling is when I feel that the students are learning, and I am able to communicate with them in Spanish,” he said.

Mr. Ruiz is a dedicated, determined teacher and a kind person. The lessons he teaches to his students help them succeed in life, as he strongly believes that Spanish is the most important second language. Mr. Ruiz’s passion and dedication for teaching makes him a Hidden Hero.

Gil Harrington

After losing her college age daughter, Ms. Gil Harrington founded Help Save the Next Girl, a nonprofit organization that promotes safety in our community. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, and raised Saudi Arabia, Ms. Harrington grew up away from her country, America, because of her dad’s job. She moved to America and finished her education at a boarding school in Charlottesville before attending the University of Virginia. She became an oncology nurse and worked at Carilion before she retired to work with her nonprofit in Virginia and do wound care nursing in Zambia, Africa. Ms. Harrington is married and has one son.

Ms. Harrington has always had a passion for helping others, even before a tragedy occurred that inspired her to start a program for helping young women. On Oct. 17, 2009, Ms. Harrington’s daughter, Morgan, went missing while at a concert. During the 101 days that her daughter was gone, she had one mission; to make sure that this never happened to any girl again. This was a rough time for the Harrington family, and while watching the lives of others, Ms. Harrington only felt worse. “I was thinking…all I’ve got is this stinking box of Morgan’s ashes. All I have is dust,” she said. “Everyone else has life and things to take pleasure in, and I’ve got this box of ashes… and then I said you know what? From ashes you can make cinder blocks, and from cinder blocks you can build.” After realizing this, Ms. Harrington decided to build the Morgan Harrington Education Wing in Africa. She was determined and positive, and something good came out of it.

Through the whole experience, Ms. Harrington was also selfless and brave. Losing someone that you love is not easy, but having your daughter kidnapped and murdered is even harder. However, Ms. Harrington didn’t shy away and pity herself. Instead, she boldly spoke and spread awareness in the community. After Morgan’s abduction, her T-shirt, the most identifiable item, was found. “It had been put out on a bush, king of like a trophy.” Ms. Harrington said. After the police had discovered this, she wanted to tell the community and raise awareness, but the police refused to disclose the information. Ms. Harrington knew that she had to get the word out, so she did it herself. “It’s too late for Morgan,” she said. “Help save the next girl.” This phrase is what started the social movement that is still going on today. She didn’t worry about herself, but about others, and she poured herself into her non-profit.

In 2012, Ms. Harrington’s organization, Help Save the Next Girl, was officially registered. Since then it has helped to provide support and awareness for many people. She also wrote a book about her daughter called Morgan Harrington Murdered and Dead for Good. “(The title) meaning that she is both dead and will always be dead, but also that her death has resulted in a great deal of positive sequela,” she said. Ms. Harrington once again proved to be brave, positive, inspirational, and selfless when she wrote this book and did so much to provide for struggling families.

Ms. Harrington is truly a remarkable person. She decided to grow from her tragic experience and rise above the difficulties to become a hero to her family, and everyone around her. She has given so much of her time and effort to benefit others, and while she may not say it, Ms. Harrington deserves to be recognized and honored as a hero.

Elizabeth Kemp

Elizabeth Kemp is a hardworking eighteen-year-old senior who loves to spend her free time fostering for youth kittens, working at the local RAC, and lifeguarding at local places.

Along with this, she also is the captain of the women’s lacrosse team at Hidden Valley High School while also working with the Student Athletic Training program. She plans to further her education in athletic training at the University of Alabama.

Kemp is a natural leader, and those habits started from a very young age. After trying multiple sports in her childhood, she eventually picked lacrosse. “I started playing lacrosse in the third grade… I only played because I really looked up to my brothers and both my brothers played for a really long time,” she stated.

At the time she never thought she would never stick to lacrosse, but eventually the success and the bonds she made caused her to stay. “We always struggled as a sport…but the only thing that can be set in stone is the chemistry on the team,” she said.

Kemp is very down to earth, and when she has free time Kemp loves fostering youth kittens. “I foster kittens, and we domesticate them so they’re ready for adoption. So it’s fun because we have them since they were little,” she expressed. Alongside with fostering kittens, she also babysits and lifeguards.

Unlike others she never sees the bad side and keeps pushing to pursue in what others do best. She said,” I think that there’s a lot of negativity these days, so I think it’s kind of cool to put a smile on people’s faces.” It’s really important to her that she is the only senior on the lacrosse team, and it makes her think about actions to be a positive leader for the team. She works hard to please everyone while sharing love to the team.

Kemp is a very selfless person that is very humble. She is a hidden hero because of characteristics that she shows daily in lacrosse, volunteering, and with the athletic training program.

Dustin Stradley

Dustin Stradley, 30, has been a minister at Elevation Church since June of 2013. Originally, Mr. Stradley never desired to be in the ministry business. He went to school for marketing and management, and graduated with a degree in business from UNC Charlotte. He stayed in the business world for six years, but eventually he stepped out of business and into ministry. In June of 2014, Mr. Stradley moved up to Roanoke. His group had only planned on being in Roanoke for six months, but those six months have now turned into two and a half years. Although his job mainly consists of overseeing the two Roanoke campuses, Mr. Stradley also travels all over the east coast for an outreach program within the church. He performs pastoral duties through Elevation including sermons, baptisms, and biblical teachings, with his main focus on seeing God work through others in the community.

During college, Mr. Stradley ran far from God after having bad church experiences in his early childhood. But after going to jail for the second time, he reached his rock bottom and knew something had to change. After he got out of jail, he called his dad, who reminded him that God loved him and that he needed to get back into church. On August 9, 2009, a friend brought Mr. Stradley to Elevation Church, and from that moment, his life had to be changed for good. In 2012, Mr. Stradley decided to leave the business world and started a ministry apprenticeship with the church. When the year-long program ended, Mr. Stradley became an official staff member and oversaw college campuses in North Carolina. He said, “God had brought me back, full circle, to the same place I had used my influence for destruction, and he let me use it for Him.”

To Mr. Stradley, this wasn’t just about spreading the word of God, to him it was also about seeing people step into their potential and seeing positive life change within someone. When asked approximately how many people show up to church every weekend among all campuses, his response was, “Every number represents a life and thats the only reason we celebrate numbers.” Mr. Stradley spends eight to nine hours every Sunday working tirelessly with the church staff to ensure that everyone feels at home and loved when they enter the church. “We are a church for the unchurched,” he said, meaning that people who typically would not enjoy going to church still want to come to Elevation. This profession requires years of dedication, and Mr. Stradley shows this dedication in every way he can. “I know I cannot be everything to everyone, otherwise I’d be nothing to anyone,” he said when asked how he coped with the work load, “and if I can just remember that, then I’ll be good.”

Mr. Stradley’s endless devotion and support that he puts into the church is extraordinary. His work in Elevation and in the community is a blessing for those who have strayed on the wrong path or are deeply in need of his help and guidance. The amount of compassion that Mr. Stradley has for this community and the people within it make him the perfect Hidden Hero.

Donna Clevenger

Ms. Donna Clevenger has been a school counselor for 18 years. She has been a counselor at Hidden Valley for two years. Ms. Clevenger grew up in Danville, VA, but her dad wanted to go into the ministry and they moved to Richmond when she was young. Then she moved a lot. Ms. Clevenger has four kids. She went to Radford for her first year to major in journalism, but they didn’t offer it anymore so she transferred to James Madison University. She didn’t graduate from James Madison University, but Ms. Clevenger got her master’s in education and graduated from Virginia Tech. Ms. Clevenger spends a lot of her time listening and helping children with their problems.

Ms. Clevenger cares about her kids. Sometimes students just want to talk to somebody who they know will care. She had one case where a first grader wanted to commit suicide. She said, “He just wanted someone to know he was sad.” Being a school counselor sometimes can cause you to miss an appointment with one of your students or not have enough time with them, but Ms. Clevenger still stays positive about her job. She said, “I want to see them more.” Ms. Clevenger is very cheerful when it comes to her job. She said, “It makes me happy when I see kids just being kids.”

Ms. Clevenger likes being a school counselor because she has always helped younger people. When she had her four kids they all were in different age groups and she noticed the school didn’t have a counselor who students can talk to when they’re having problems. So, after that she started being a school counselor. Ms. Clevenger loves her job and she’s always the first one at the school besides the principals. She just wants to have a head start before the day begins and be ready for her students. Ms. Clevenger doesn’t call the people she helps students, patients, or anything. She calls them her “kids.” Even her husband calls them that too. When she gets home he’ll even say, “How were the kids today?” Ms. Clevenger thinks her job is perfect for her and she loves every second of it.

                             Ms. Clevenger is a great school counselor and a caring person. Her positivity makes students feel comfortable talking about their problems and makes a difference in their lives. Ms. Clevenger’s enthusiasm and hard work are what make her a Hidden Hero!

David Podruchney

            Mr. David Podruchney, a native of Roanoke, first began volunteering at the rescue squad when a friend invited him to try it out. For the next 24 years, Mr. Podruchney actively volunteered as an EMT at the Cave Spring Rescue Squad, and he hasn’t looked back since.  He eventually became a team captain. As a captain, he ensures that the vehicles are fully stocked and acts primarily as an emergency driver. The rescue squad responds to a wide variety of emergencies throughout Southwest Roanoke County, and sometimes into Salem and Roanoke City when necessary. Mr. Podruchney has managed to continue his volunteering, even while balancing time with a wife, two children, and a full time job.  

            Mr. Podruchney’s influential team works 12 to 18 hour shifts every six days. The team is continuously training to improve their skills so that they can provide quality support to those who are in need of medical assistance. But, some skills are just learned naturally through their job. Mr. Podruchney said, “[It has taught me] patience. You know, on calls you run, you can’t go in ‘guns ablaze’. You have to be controlled, thoughtful, and patient.”

            Rescue squad volunteers have an important job that requires courage and dedication. According to Mr. Podruchney, “In our line of work, we see people… when they’re at their possibly worst point – they’re injured, they’re not feeling good. We see people that need help, and we provide help.” Even through their tough job, Mr. Podruchney and his team enjoy each other, as well as the work they do. “Rescue squad becomes a second family”, says Mr. Podruchney, “It’s just like any firefighter or police officer will tell you: it’s family.” After all that time working and growing with them, and watching the program grow and change, the thought of leaving never even crossed his mind. Because of Mr. Podruchney’s continued volunteer work with the rescue squad, he’s been awarded the title of “life member,” which is given to any who volunteer for over ten years. He’s the second longest active running volunteer at the Cave Spring Rescue Squad.

            Many times, when someone is injured badly and needs medical help, the first people to respond EMTs. These EMTs are often volunteers who have humbly given up their time to serve the public. Mr. Podruchney is an inspirational and humble volunteer who has dedicated much of his life to helping those who are in dire circumstances. For Mr. Podruchney, the number one benefit of volunteering is genuinely just helping those who need it, and he doesn’t ask for anything else in return for the opportunity to do so. As he said, “It all boils down to helping others.”

Sergeant Daniel Muns

Sergeant Daniel Muns is a 43 year old veteran. He served in the Army as a Ranger. Sgt. Muns had finished his training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He worked at the Ranger school at Fort Benning to train rookies that are just coming in.  He has a wife named Angelina. With whom, Sgt. Muns moved to Roanoke to be closer to his friends.

Sgt. Muns first joined the military when a friend of his told him and two other friends, and he was the only adamant one about serving the country, “I wanted to serve, that was my initial motivation,” he said, “I really felt called to serve.”  He joined the 3^rd Ranger Battalion in Fort Benning, after he was recruited.  He became dedicated to serving the country, but not alone, he said, “After I got in, it became not only about serving the country, but serving with the people that I was in the military with.”

            Sgt. Muns is selfless for serving in the Army, he said, “I did…, just under thirteen years total.” After he enlisted as a Ranger, he went through Basic at Fort Benning. Afterwards, he did four tours in Iraq. Then he was experienced to train the new recruits, saying, “I ended up going working at Ranger school.” During his four years, he was stationed at Fort Benning. He later went into the National Guard.

            While in the National Guard, Sgt. Muns recalls really enjoying the experience because it gave an opportunity to serve with other veterans in a more casual way. Sgt. Muns joined the National Guard because of 9/11, wanting to do something for his country. Sgt. Muns served in the National Guard until he retired from active duty in 2006.

            Sergeant Daniel Muns is and adamant American for serving 13 years in active duty. He was deployed in Iraq, Haiti, Panama, England, South Korea, San Diego (while in the National Guard), and Fort Benning, Georgia where he helped trained the newly recruited rangers. These reasons are why Sgt. Muns deserve to be nominated a Hidden Hero.

Bradley Mattox

Bradley Mattox has been a Special Education instructional assistant at Hidden Valley High school for two years and has loved every bit of it. He said “Growing up, I always worked with kids at Honey Tree Early Learning Center, and that’s where I realized that I loved working with kids.”  He took this and went to Tusculum University in Greenville, Tennessee to study sports management. While he was studying sports management at Tusculum he also played baseball for two and half years. When he was done playing baseball at Tusculum he transferred to Roanoke College and played for another two and a half years. Then he went to Greensboro, North Carolina and worked there as a sales rep. He said “After working as a sales rep, I realized that this is not what I want to do, so I came back to coach and help kids.”

 Coach Mattox said that he loves being around the kids he helps and that they make a bad day good. Coach Mattox said, “They can always put a smile on my face, no matter how bad my day has been, seeing them makes it better.” He likes to do this because he loves working with kids, He continues this love outside of school when he coaches the baseball and basketball teams after school. “I’ve always played sports and been an athletic person,” he said. He said after this year that he wants to move up and become a better coach, so he is going to talk to the head coach at Roanoke College and see if he can become an assistant coach there.

Coach Mattox is an inspirational person. He loves helping kids, and he is an amazing coach. He is also very dedicated to what he does and he will do anything for the kids he helps, no matter how big the cost. Every day he works with them so they can become closer and closer to mastering the life skills they will need. Coach Mattox deserves this award for putting all his hard work and dedication into helping special needs children. His work is what makes him a Hidden Hero.