For the Carter County Times
West Carter Highschool Student Council has started a campaign, “Hometown Hero” to honor and highlight upstanding and inspiring members of our community. November’s Hometown Hero is Hadessah Patton!
A note from our Hero:
Giving back to my community has always been at the heart of who I am. I graduated as the Class President of West Carter High School’s Class of 2024, where I was honored to receive the Presidential Award for three consecutive years and proudly serve as both an FCCLA leader under Martha Henderson and an FCS Ambassador. For the past six years, I’ve had the privilege of working with the West Carter High School Volleyball Team, keeping stats and supporting the athletes I’ve grown to admire.
As a freshman, I started my small business, Sunshine Clay, in memory of my former elementary teacher, Leigh Williams – turning creativity into compassion by donating proceeds to brain cancer research. Through hard work and community support, Sunshine Clay was honored with the Kentucky Invest 606 Small Business Award, reminding me of the power of purpose.
Today, through my service with AmeriCorps at Tygart Creek Elementary School, I continue to serve the Olive Hill community, leading Project Prom and Unite Club with both elementary and high school students to inspire the next generation of young leaders and provide opportunities for community engagement and student growth.
None of this would be possible without my amazing family, my friends who always show up, Martha Henderson, educators, and coworkers. Their love, encouragement, and constant support have shaped me into who I am today and remind me why I love giving back to the place I call home.
My future goal is to graduate from Morehead State University with a degree in Elementary Education and return to Olive Hill to make a difference in the lives of the next generation – promoting community involvement and helping my students see that they truly can make a difference. “When you can’t find the sunshine, be the sunshine.” – Leigh Williams
