We think our West Virginia kids are incredible!

From all walks of life and all parts of the state, our incredible kids serve as hope for a brighter, kinder future where we give back and strive further with smiles on our faces. These kids were nominated and voted on by WV Living readers like you, having touched us all with their stories of empathy, determination, and optimism. Be inspired by these 67 young West Virginians who are making a difference.

HUNTER

10, Buckhannon

Hunter’s goal as a 10 year old is to set good examples for his two younger brothers to follow. He is a follower of Jesus and loves to learn about the Bible. Hunter excels at anything he puts his mind to and hopes to one day obtain his commercial driver’s license to become a truck driver.

TANNER

7, Buckhannon

Tanner has a wild love for fishing and anything outdoors-related. He has a love for soccer and excels in the sport. Tanner enjoys working with his hands and hopes to one day be a mechanic.

RIDGLEY

5, Buckhannon

Ridgley loves anything involving the outdoors. He has a love for fishing and being with his papaw. Ridgley has chickens on his small farm and loves to help in tending to them. One day, he would like to be a garbage man.

TIAR

9, Buckhannon

Tiar was diagnosed at age 5 with a rare cancer: adrenocortical carcinoma. She soon grew tired of traveling and being constantly ill. Now she’s only taking what is needed to sustain life, and she has great quality of life. She and her stepmom run a charity that gives Wonderfold wagons to families at WVU Medicine Children’s hospital.

ZADAYA

7, Morgantown

Zadaya is the 2023 Little Miss Monongalia County Fair, and she dedicates her time to charity events to help raise money for different things. She enjoys dancing at Lil’ Jammaz Hip Hop Company and is always trying to help others.

CAMERON

10, Shinnston

Cameron would do anything for anyone. He is always on the go and always full throttle. He loves soccer and football, and he also wrestles. He has such a huge heart and is a pretty funny little boy.

KAELEIGH

10, Fairmont

Kaeleigh loves helping others. She has daily struggles with autism, ADHD, and sensory processing disorder, but most people would never know. She now helps with the community garden alongside some of her sister Girl Scouts and brings smiles to residents of their “adopted” nursing home.

LILLY

9, Camden

Lilly is determined to make the world a better place with her kindness and compassion. Every day she does something positive—whether big or small—to help her family, friends, neighbors, and community.

RAYMOND

5, Camden

Raymond starts and ends every day with a smile. He loves to make everyone laugh and feel loved! He tries to help everyone and strives to be a wonderful brother and friend. Raymond’s charisma brightens any room and brings joy to everyone’s day.

NICK

13, Shinnston

Nick is a three-time West Virginia Youth Wrestling Association (WVYWA) State Champion. He also runs track and plays football. His goal is to play football and wrestle for West Virginia University. He is very smart, never having to study for a spelling test or anything. He is one tough kid!

ISLA

7, Morgantown

Isla loves to read and, as a result, she started the Morgantown chapter of the NICU Book Club, donating 55 new books every month to WVU Medicine Children’s hospital. Every month, she acquires donations, packages them, and delivers them to foster literacy and bonding between these babies and their caregivers.

KAILEIGH

19, Bluefield

Kaileigh is a freshman at Concord University. She enjoys sports and the outdoors. Kaileigh is very kind and loving and always gives 100% in everything she does. She is very determined and very disciplined in her schoolwork and job. She also enjoys reading her Bible. Kaileigh is going to school to be a physical therapist.

CLAYTON

10, Ballard

At the young age of 10, Clayton is a straight A student and participates in boxing, football, and basketball. His mom was diagnosed with cancer in March, and he has been her biggest helper, helping with his little sister while his dad is at work.

SETH

12, Pineville

Seth has H-ABC leukodytrophy, a rare genetic disease that affects the myelin in the brain. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is working on a cure, but the disease is rare and gets very little attention. Even though Seth does things differently, he doesn’t let it stop him. He shows others that your disability does not define you.

ELLIE

6, Moundsville

Ellie is non-verbal autistic, but she has learned to communicate through an iPad program! She is a social butterfly and loves to laugh and make people happy. She has overcome so many struggles with sensory issues and communication over the past few years, and her family couldn’t be prouder.

DEAN

8, Camden

Dean is always looking for a way to make someone else laugh or smile. He tries his hardest to make everyone feel welcome and appreciated. Dean has been through a lot health-wise in his short 8 years, but never fails to approach things with an open mind and tons of questions while trying to comfort everyone else in the room.

EVIE

10, Grafton

Evie loves everyone. She constantly sees the good in everything. She loves school and her friends. Evie is learning to play volleyball and is working on her spatial awareness.

ATTICUS

10, Keyser

In 2022, Atticus and his best friend were outside playing when a neighbor’s dog got loose and began chasing them. Atticus put himself between his friend and the dog, which, ultimately, injured Atticus’ left arm. After stitches and some rest, he returned to the football field and never looked back.

MYLA

9, Petersburg

Myla has had to deal with a few health issues since birth, but that doesn’t stop her! In school, she’s on the “A” honor roll and receives awards for excellent behavior. She’s been tumbling for five years now and loves to cheer, play basketball, and golf. Myla is a friend to everyone and loves to help in any way that she can.

CARTER

13, Sycamore

Carter is very helpful to his parents and friends. He does very well in school and enjoys it. He also loves outdoor activities like fishing, mono-skiing, and baseball. Carter doesn’t let his mobility hinder any of his activities or outlook on life. He is kind to others and enjoys life to the fullest.

JAENELLE

11, Parkersburg

Jaenelle doesn’t let anything stop her, even with her disabilities. She loves being around friends and family, plus going to school and church. Jaenelle is also a Girl Scout, showing others that everyone is accepted no matter the challenges they face.

NATHAN

13, Wheeling

In spite of Nathan’s health challenges and having biweekly infusions, he tries his best. He is in middle school, where he plays football with the Rams. He loves God, is always encouraging, and prays for his friends.

OLIVIA

11, Morgantown

Olivia has been giving back to her community ever since Cub Scouts, joining in activities such as beautifying local parks by picking up trash. This led her to seek out other volunteer opportunities, the most recent being the local 2024 Walk for Wishes, a Make-A-Wish fundraiser. “We helped set up and handed out prizes, talked to the different people there and got to know them,” she says. “We also set up the VIP room for the families to make bracelets, eat snacks, and get drinks.”

As a lover of animals, she has spent much time caring for her family’s wide variety of pets. She also enjoys dance, taking four classes this year alone. “It’s really fun to me,” she says. “With my dance group, I danced on Broadway and in Times Square in New York. I got to go to a class with The Rockettes and see them perform!”

Olivia’s sense of empathy and compassion is obvious to those around her, particularly her family, and it shines through in her aspirations: She wants to be a teacher. “I looked up to my 5th grade teacher—she was just awesome. I always wanted to teach stuff to kids someday that my teachers once taught me.”

NORAH

5, Elkins

Summertime for Nora means setting up at the farmers market each week with fresh eggs from chickens in her backyard and baked goods she has helped prepare. Never too young to make a difference, Norah donated $500 of her earnings toward a heart walk in honor of her brother and $250 to a local family facing hardship.

BIRDIE

13, Charleston

Birdie is an LGBTQIA+ ally and a teen leader for 4-H and has aspirations of being an FBI agent. She is involved in Appalachian Children’s Chorus and Alban Arts Academy and plays sports. Though born in PR China, Birdie is a true Appalachian, featured as one of the Faces of Appalachia in the Kanawha County Library’s Skywalk.

EVAN

9, Morgantown

Evan began his piano journey at age 5. Evan has won multiple first prize and Exceptional Young Talent prizes in international music competitions and was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City, Beethoven House in Bonn, Germany, Kleine Zaal Concertgebouw in the Netherlands, and in Toronto, Canada.

ELIZABETH

3, Monongah

Elizabeth loves to dance, sing along to Taylor Swift, and play in the sand. She loves making silly faces and playing with her brother. And she is always eager to lend a helping hand! She puts her entire heart into all she does, and whether it be helping with dishes or coloring, she does her best.

TAYLOR

15, Mount Lookout

Taylor has been through several adverse events, including the untimely death of her father when she was 13. She was recently adopted and, despite everything, keeps smiling and helping others. She hopes to be a veterinarian one day and help kids who have pets understand loss when the time comes.

FALYN

12, Richwood

Falyn has raced ATVs since the age of 4 and has won two national championships. She is also a pageant queen and will be competing in a national pageant. She enjoys community service work and is working to start up her “wear a helmet” platform to educate youth on the importance of wearing a helmet.

JOCELYN

7, Martinsburg

Jocelyn is a fun-loving kid with Down syndrome. She never meets a stranger and passes out hugs everywhere she goes. She is an ambassador for the Nothing Down nonprofit organization, and she was a Miss West Virginia Little Sister as well as a Princess of the West Virginia Black Heritage Festival.

BRADLEY

8, Monongah

Bradley is autistic and has ADHD. He loves to make others laugh! He tells the best jokes and makes the silliest faces, and there’s never a dull moment. Bradley is an amazing clay sculptor and loves to draw. He’s the best big brother to his sister, a wonderful friend, and the best owner to his dogs Becky and Bagel.

EZRA

5, Masontown

Ezra was born at 26 weeks and fought so hard to be here. His family says he is driven, intelligent, and the kindest soul you’ll ever meet—he loves so deeply. Ezra enjoys playing with his number blocks, going to the mall, ABA therapy, and playing with his best friend: his dad.

DANI

5, Huntington

Dani always recognizes when help is needed and will be first to come up with a game to help. She loves getting dirty in the garden and camping, but she will also “princess up” to compete in the pageantry world.

KYRIAN

14, Morgantown

Kyrian helps the nonprofit We Bike WV give out free bikes to kids in need. He helps these kids overcome their shyness, gets down to their level, and even rides around on tiny bikes to make them smile. Many kids are learning to ride a bike right now, thanks to Kyrian’s ability to connect.

GRAHAM

6, Rupert

Graham is non-verbal autistic. However, he started learning to read, write, and type at only 2 years old! He loves numbers, shapes, and the alphabet. Learning and growing are his special interests.

ELIZA

4, Teays Valley

Eliza doesn’t let anything slow her down. She is an artist who loves to paint, draw, and dance. She had open heart surgery last year and openly talks about her experience and how she is now a superhero. She would give the shirt off her back—and has—to help those she cares about.

SYLAR

10, Teays Valley

Sylar is a creative, free soul with a passion for exploring the world and science. He loves building things and working with his 3D pen. When he envisions an idea, he figures out a way to bring it to life. To his family, he is the heartbeat in the house, and they feel lucky to experience the world with him.

RYKER

12, Mount Clare

Ryker is a straight “A” student who plays soccer, basketball, and flag football. He regularly volunteers at the Clarksburg Mustard Seed. In what spare time he does have, he likes to play video games with his friends.

HANNA

9, Brandonville

Hanna was just beginning school when COVID-19 hit. Her academic world was turned upside down, but through the diligence of her mom and her elementary school, Hanna learned. She recently won first place in the West Virginia Young Writers contest for Preston County. She wrote a touching story about “Pap Charlie,” her great-grandfather.

CALEB

10, Keyser

To ask Caleb about history is to be shocked at his near-encyclopedic knowledge of dates, events, and resulting actions, particularly revolving around his favorite subjects: American history and the American Civil War. “Most of it I didn’t learn from class. It was usually from the books that I read,” he says. As his interest—and knowledge—expanded, his mother worried about him growing bored. After approaching his teacher about her concerns, they came to a solution: Caleb would teach history.

Once every nine weeks, Caleb puts together thorough and interesting history lessons on a subject of his choice—often bringing in props and dressing in relevant costumes to better engage with his “students” during the lesson—and presents them to all of the 4th-grade classes in his elementary school. “I’ve done two on the Civil War—slavery in the 1800s and the Battle of Fredericksburg—one on Gettysburg, and one on World War II and the Pacific.”

In addition to his teaching endeavors, Caleb is an active member of his community. He helps unload and organize food at his local food pantry each month and is a member of his school’s community service club. When he’s older, Caleb would like to be a Civil War historian or Gettysburg park ranger.

SHYANNE

11, Elizabeth

Shyanne is involved with the Actors Guild, placed 2nd at the West Virginia State Social Studies Fair, and is the Wirt County Fair princess while raising two goats for the fair. She loves being around other kids but also helping the less fortunate. She aspires to be a politician.

LAUREN

16, Williamstown

Lauren has faced type 1 diabetes, ASD, and Lyme disease. Despite these obstacles, she finds joy in ceramics and computer-generated artwork, and she regularly channels her creativity into beautiful works of art. Her goal this summer is to serve as a Leader in Training at Camp Kno-Koma, a summer camp for kids with type 1 diabetes.

CHARLI

12, Wheeling

Charli has gone to three different schools in the past three years—new friends, new teachers, new everything. She maintained her status on the school’s honor rolls. She qualified for the school spelling bee and regional science fair, and she is learning to be an outstanding volunteer. Her faith is essential to her.

HALEY

18, Berkeley Springs

Haley has special needs, is non-verbal, and has epilepsy, but that doesn’t stop her from living her best life. She participates in Special Olympics, Challenger Ball, and Dreamers Dance. She is also the 2024 West Virginia Miss Amazing Teen Queen, a pageant for girls and women with disabilities.

ASHTON

1, Mannington

While growing up in a family where community and kindness is the way of life, Ashton finds himself following in the footsteps of his mom and pap, sharing joy in fire trucks. He spends his free time outdoors and playing sports. Ashton is known to be the life of the party.

AIYANNA

7, Morgantown

Aiyanna enjoys volunteering and has a passion for art. She is a Daisy Girl Scout and loves cookie season! Her favorite pastime is cheering with her cheer sisters at Champion Training Academy. Her family says that, while many things make Aiyanna extraordinary, her heart and compassion are the best parts of her.

NICHOLAS

9, Salem

This year, Nicholas decided to join his big sister in walking for veterans. He walked 29 miles with his sister and raised more than $1,000 for veterans at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center. He also has been nominated to go to Washington, D.C. in the summer to participate in a leadership conference.

MORGAN

12, Salem

Morgan walked over 29 miles and raised more than $1,000 for local veterans at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center with the help of her brother. This was her third year of walking for warriors, and she plans on continuing to give back to local heroes.

NOLAN & RONAN

1 month & 2, Terra Alta

Nolan was diagnosed with laryngomalacia at just 3 weeks old. Nolan’s brother, Ronan, has the same disorder, but it was not found until he was many months older—a few surgeries saved his life. Though these boys struggle with their breathing, they continue to fight and live their best lives.

LENNOX

4, Parkersburg

Lennox brings a smile to anyone who meets him and loves to laugh. Lennox is blind, deaf in his left ear, and has cerebral palsy and epilepsy. He has been in and out of the hospital since he was two weeks old due to multiple strokes. Lennox shows his family daily that life is what you make it and to never give up.

OLIVIA

13, Inwood

Diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 3, Olivia has not only survived but thrived. She is a key member of her cross-country team, where she recently placed 4th out of 69 girls in her county. She is part of the track and field team for her upcoming high school, showcasing her commitment to pushing her boundaries and achieving new heights.

KEEGUN

9, Gilbert

Keegun has overcome many obstacles in life. With that being said, he succeeds in football, basketball, and soccer. He is in the gifted program at school.

KABELLA

12, Cabell County

In preschool, Kabella was diagnosed with unilateral deafness, resulting in the need for a hearing aid and complete deafness in her right ear. She holds three pageant titles and will compete in the Miss Ultimate USA Pageant this summer. She walked in the February 2024 New York Fashion Week and plans to walk it again this fall.

JP

8, Ravenswood

JP is intelligent, kind to all, a great athlete, and a positive young man.

ELLA

11, Farmington

Ella has been in 4-H for three years and Girl Scouts for seven. She recently earned her Bronze Star Award when she made a Free Little Library for her community. She hosted a hot cocoa and cookies sale with her friends, raising more than $600 to buy toys for Toys for Tots.

MASON

12, Beaver

Mason is a medulloblastoma warrior! His journey has been an inspiration to his family, because he is strong and resilient. They say he has not once complained about what he has had to go through and is much loved.

JACEELYNN

6, Handley

Jaceelynn has been a fighter since birth. She has spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, and all she wants to do is walk one day—and she doesn’t give up! She goes to therapy every week ready and willing to work.

KENZIE

16, Wheeling

Kenzie enjoys working with kids by teaching tumbling, helping them learn, or just sitting down and hanging out with them. Her dream is to work in pediatrics as a PT or PA. Kenzie was selected to be student representative and will be attending Leadership Academy later this summer.

GRACE

13, Hurricane

At a young age, Grace demonstrated strong attributes for action. To support her God-given gifts with education and training, she began pre-acting classes at age 5, and she was fearless on stage. She has been in music videos, films, and a television series, all filmed in West Virginia.

ALEXIS

11, Wheeling

This year, Alexis joined the middle school National Honor Society! She wanted to help other kids in the community and successfully held a donation drive for blankets and books for Foster Hope Ohio Valley. Children entering the foster system will have books and blankets to keep as their own and comfort them.

JOHNNA

15, Parsons

Johnna is blessed with Down syndrome and was born with severe bilateral clubfeet diagnosed at 16 weeks gestational. Her family says she is always loving and happy and gives the absolute best hugs. She has overcome many health battles in her short life and was crowned the 2022 West Virginia Miss Amazing Junior Teen Queen.

SAOIRSE

5, Winfield

Saoirse, like her twin brother, Rowan, has level 3 autism. She works hard at learning to talk using an AAC device. She loves life, her family, music, and anything glitzy. Saoirse doesn’t let autism stop her and takes a dance class in our area for special needs. She loves performing in her leotards and tutus!

ROWAN

5, Winfield

Rowan, like his twin sister, Saoirse, has level 3 autism. Rowan works hard every day learning new skills and ways to let us into his world. He never lets autism stop him and loves exploring outside, experimenting, climbing, and jumping. Rowan loves animals and has no fear riding big horses weekly at his lessons.

CAMDEN

9, Parsons

Camden was diagnosed as a type 1 diabetic at age 8. Despite this, Camden loves helping his neighbors with barn work. He has witnessed live births of farm animals and rushed to help any babies in danger. Camden wants to be a firefighter and paramedic or a TOPGUN Navy jet pilot.

EDEN

9, Craigsville

Eden is incredibly smart, so kind—especially to littler kids—and loves to dance and perform. She’s performed two solos! She read Little House in the Big Woods in the spring and enjoyed learning about how pioneers lived. She is homeschooled, but she is quite the social butterfly.

MADISON

12, Buckhannon

As the 2023 National United States Preteen, Madison has logged over 60 hours of volunteer hours on her own, collecting pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House, participating in canned food drives, ringing bells for The Salvation Army—and over 100 hours with her fellow pageant title holders on group outings. She was awarded the gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award for her volunteer hours. “I love doing community service,” she says. “I didn’t realize how many hours I was getting!”

One of the many projects she enjoys is raising money for the American Heart Association. Born with a congenital heart defect, Madison underwent surgery a year ago. But it didn’t keep her down long. She has since returned to competitive swimming, running on the track team, and, of course, volunteering. “I went through a lot with my heart surgery and some misdiagnoses. It drives me to do more for my community and for myself.”

Madison plays percussion in the school band, was recently inducted into the Junior National Honors Society, and remains active in the pageant community as well as her own. When asked how she balances it all, her response is simple: “My schedule is usually really full, but I wouldn’t give up anything. I just love what I do.”

READ MORE ARTICLES FROM WV LIVING’S SUMMER 2024 ISSUE