Press Release

Second-grade students at Wills Valley Elementary School in Fort Payne showed their appreciation for some super citizens in the community, as they bestowed Helping Hand Hero awards on five people

The awards were part of the school’s Super Citizen graduation celebration, marking the completion of a Liberty Learning Foundation program designed to teach children about citizenship.

They learned some key lessons – that the most important title one can hold in the United States is that of citizen, and that all people are part of a community, in their neighborhoods their schools, their city and their state.

Students also learned about showing appreciation, and they put that into practice last week as they honored Helping Hands Heroes Alli Justice, Jerry Clifton, Johnny Eberhart, Jill-Curry Henderson, and Raylene Cruse.

Jessie Justice introduced Alli Justice, a special education teacher at the school as well as a foster and adoptive mother. She and her husband became parents of four within two years, Jessie explained. “I just happen to be one of the three children they adopted,” she said. In addition to teaching, Alli Justice is nursery director at her church, and coaches in a youth volleyball league.

Briley Houston gave the introduction for entrepreneur Jerry Clifton, saying he “helped bring Fort Payne back to life” by investing in the revitalization of several downtown buildings. He also serves in the community and in his church. Houston quoted Clifton: “I just always wanted to find ways to encourage others, to help them, and to improve and build the community.”

Eli Rogers told fellow students about hero Johnny Eberhart, who serves as a member of the Fort Payne City Council. Eberhart is also a member of the Optimist Club, the Third Sunday Committee, the Boom Days Committee, and the Main Street board of directors. Eberhart said he never saw himself in this position, but he loves to see progress in the community, and he urged young people to get involved and work together to make their community better.

Juan Pablo introduced Jill-Curry Henderson, the mother of 10 children, including nine boys and one girl. Henderson said she always wanted a big family, according to the introduction, but never expected it to be this large. That happened when she and her husband opened their home to foster children. “Once you see the need, you can’t unsee it,” she was quoted as saying.

Charly Grace Bynum gave an introduction for a hero the students see frequently in their school days – Raylene Cruse.

The award thanked Cruse for her hard work and dedication in planning, preparing, and serving healthy meals to the students and faculty of Will Valley Elementary throughout their school year. She does so, Charly Grace noted, “always with a smile on her face.”

Helping Hands Heroes were presented with a torch pin, while the graduation program ended with a video visit from Libby Liberty, an educator with Liberty Learning Foundation who visits schools dressed (and made up) to look like the Statue of Liberty, the recitation of the Helping Hands Pledge and the song, “You in the USA.”