Ohio County Middle School

"Awesomeness does not begin to describe Corey Hale. As a 7th grader, he expressed the maturity, compassion, academic know-how, and powerful work ethic normally, yet very rarely seen in much older students. Walking into my language arts classroom on August 9, 2013, Corey's bright eyes, attentiveness to class, and respect for others even from the beginning told me what a great character he was! After speaking with his parents, I learned that in fourth grade Corey had set a goal to become valedictorian and had always placed high importance on academics, scholarly clubs, and character development. He is involved in several student involvement programs, and he even reaches out to students who are bullied. Above all other students, the entire student body loves Corey, just because of who he is and how he treats each person for who they are. This quality is very rare in society—much less in a middle school."