The Straughn High School Character in Action Award for the months of April and May was awarded to freshman Stuart Nelson and junior Brady Hamrac.

Nelson has volunteered with several non-profit organizations including Meredith’s Miracles’ Cookies with Characters, Anchor Club’s Picnic on the Square, Christmas Tour of Homes and the Child Advocacy Center’s Rodeo. He also works with the National Wild Turkey Federation and the Alabama Wildlife Federation.

“I just feel like it is a good thing to do,” Nelson said. “Anything I can do to help the kids I’ll do it. With the Child Advocacy Center Rodeo I usually just help guide the cattle around because I already know how to do that. With the Cookies with Characters I knew that it looked like fun, so I auditioned and got a part in it for the past two years.”

At SHS, Nelson is also the school mascot and helps with the girl’s basketball team.

With summer break coming at the end of the week, Nelson said that he is excited to be out of school.

“I am going to be playing some baseball,” Nelson said. “Other than that, I’m just going to try and have some fun.”

During Hamrac’s freshman year, he went on a mission trip to Haiti, where he helped repair damage to an orphanage.

“We made some roof repairs with wood to the orphanages over there,” Hamrac said. “It was really tough over there. The streets were crowded, families were living in tents and it was just completely different than what we see over here. It was definitely an eye opening experience.”

Hamrac also works with his church family to go around to elderly people’s houses and maintain their yards.

“The youth group goes out and helps the elderly people by cleaning up their yards and cutting the grass,” Hamrac said. “They are usually pretty pleased whenever we finish with their yards.”

At SHS, Hamrac is a member of the baseball team and takes dual enrollment classes at LBW.

Going into his senior year, Hamrac said that he is looking for a college to play baseball.

“This summer I plan on working a lot,” Hamrac said. “I will also be playing a lot of travel baseball for a team in Dothan.”

The Character in Action Award is sponsored by the Children’s Policy Council and is awarded to students at Straughn High School who display exceptional character. Examples of exceptional character include: helping a fellow student in need, displaying kindness to someone who is hurting, cutting an elderly neighbor’s grass, planning a fundraiser for a needy family and volunteering at the nursing home.