Brooke Wyatt KuhneWhen she was a young girl, Brooke Wyatt Kuhne says she was one of the USA International Ballet Competition's biggest fans but she never thought her passion for the arts would someday lead her to becoming the competition's artistic administrator.
Buck AbbeyBuck Abbey says he coined the phrase "green laws" in the '70s, although he did not know what a White Pine tree was before going to college. As a matter of fact, he happened upon landscape architecture and urban design …
Alyssa Wolpin SilbermanAlyssa Wolpin Silberman considers herself a fighter. When she moved to Jackson Florida in the early '90s, she started volunteering as an escort at a woman's clinic at a time when bomb threats and violence were a common occurrence throughout …
Alexandra FranklinWhen she was 8 years old, Alexandra Franklin's mother tried to separate her from her love of reading. After Franklin's math grade started to slip, her mother came into her bedroom, trash bag in tow, and began to pack up …
Sean SavilleSince the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico April 20, the entire Gulf Coast region has experienced environmental threats to human and animal populations. Many organizations and individuals have stepped up to help in the …
Katrina ByrdWhile walking home from her job at the YMCA on Farish Street as a teenager, Katrina Byrd noticed a man in a truck following her. Moments later, the man attempted to abduct Byrd by forcing her into his car.
Dave WetzelTo say that Dave Wetzel is a morning person would be an understatement. At a humid morning at the Jackson Zoo, Wetzel has already been awake for approximately five and a half hours.
John UzodinmaWhen John Uzodinma first walks on stage at the Mississippi Public Broadcasting studio, he is calm, reserved and maybe even a little shy. But once he begins to speak the words from Langston Hughes' "Theme For English B," he straightens …
David PoweAs chief administrative officer for the University of Mississippi Medical Center, David Powe oversees the daily operations of an economic powerhouse. The center represents 10 percent of the Jackson metro area's economy, and its clout is only growing. Six years …
Juanyce TaylorBeing first is a designation many people desire to possess, although most aren't always that fortunate. But Juanyce Taylor, director of diversity assessment and programs for the University of Mississippi Medical Center, has a history of originality.
Beverly ScurlockOf all the ways one could begin to describe Beverly Scurlock, it is hard to believe that "quiet" would be one of them. Yet, that's what Mark Scurlock first noticed about her when the two met at the student union …
Mi Isha LoweMi Isha Lowe still remembers her high school's summer reading program. She explains that while all the books she was required to read were good, her favorite was "Gifted Hands," the story of Dr. Ben Carson's journey from growing up …
Lottie W. ThorntonPoised and graceful, Lottie W. Thornton settles into a white oak rocking chair her father made. The walls of her home are lined with awards from Jackson State University's Alumni Association, and from service and teachers organizations. She points to …
Kathy ElamBalloon artist Kathy Elam believes that all it takes is a balloon and a smile to brighten someone's day.
Marilyn BlackledgeMississippi Food Network's Director of Development Marilyn Blackledge has had to work hard to raise additional funds this year after the organization's member agencies reported a 30 percent increase in demand for food across the state. Blackledge raises money to …