2012 Razor Walker Award Winners
DREAMS of Wilmington
Art/Literature
"DREAMS of Wilmington is dedicated to building creative, committed citizens, one child at a time, through high-quality, free-of-charge programming in the literary, visual and performing arts."
The DREAMS Center for Arts Education started out in 1996, when a group of citizens in Wilmington came together to make a dream come true. Their dream was to provide high-quality, free-of-charge programs to help youth in need obtain an arts education. They believed that no matter what a child's circumstances, he or she deserved the best that life had to offer, including the creative and healing environment that the arts provide.
DREAMS of Wilmington was a 2007 recipient of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities Coming Up Taller Award, the nation's highest honor for after school and out-of-school arts and humanities programs. A DREAMS education provides many things for its students: it builds a brighter future filled with opportunities and hope; it develops their self-confidence and prepares them for community leadership; and it provides a safe and nurturing environment for students to grow.. For all of these reasons, the DREAMS Center for Arts Education has and continues to provide a creative and productive outlet for the youth of the area.
More than a decade later, the DREAMS Center for Arts Education provides programming each year to more than 600 young people, offering more than 60 classes per week at 15 sites in three counties. Combined with the efforts of teaching artists who share their vision, they are impacting the lives of children every single day.
The DREAMS Center for Arts Education has "walked the razor's edge" by providing incredible services for the youth of Wilmington and beyond.
Linda Wheeler Hayes
Public Service/Policy
"I have never met anyone who comes close to matching Secretary Linda Hayes' lifelong commitment and dedication to helping every child she has ever met-and thousands she may never meet-in any and every way she can."
A native of Dunn, N.C., Linda Wheeler Hayes graduated from Greensboro College with a focus in special education. From early on, Ms. Hayes devoted herself to being an advocate for children's issues and improving public safety. After working for Hayes, Williams, Turner & Daughtry, P.A., attorneys in Dunn, she went on to serve as the chair of the National Coalition for Juvenile Justice, a nonprofit association representing governor-appointed advisory groups on juvenile justice.
In 2009 she made history by becoming the first female secretary of the North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, appointed by Governor Beverly Perdue. Under her leadership, the department made numerous improvements. She shepherded the creation and implementation of a comprehensive gang intervention and prevention program, which resulted in a significant reduction of gang affiliations in youth. With her strong education and treatment focus, she also guided the department's efforts to partner with community colleges to help bring back career-technical education in the state's Youth Development Centers.
Secretary Hayes has received numerous national, state and local awards for her service to youth, recognizing her passion and dedication to serving and supporting the youth of North Carolina and the nation. Secretary Hayes represents the true commitment that Razor Walker recipients embody, to improving the lives of young people through her continued effort to bring justice and support to the youth of North Carolina.
Olson Huff
Medicine
"Dr. Huff is one of the brightest guiding lights and spokespersons for children, not only in our community, but statewide. He is an amazing presence, a legend who works with beautiful consistency to connect children with services that meet their needs."
Dr. Olsen Huff is recognized as a pioneer in child development programs in North Carolina. The program at Thomas Hospital in Asheville, which he established, was named the Olson Huff Center for Child Development in his honor in 1995. In 1994, he became medical director of the Ruth and Billy Graham Children's Health Center at Mission Hospital, which became Mission Children's Hospital under his leadership.
A Kentucky native, Dr. Huff received his undergraduate degree from the University of Kentucky and his medical degree from the University of Louisville. He came to North Carolina to complete a pediatrics residency at Charlotte Memorial Hospital and a fellowship in developmental pediatrics at UNC Chapel Hill. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, he served as a flight surgeon during the Vietnam War.
Dr. Huff has served as president of the N.C. Pediatric Society and is chair of the Committee on Federal Government Affairs of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He is also board chair of the N.C. Partnership for Children, which oversees Smart Start. He retired in 2001 but remains a consultant to the Mission Hospital Health Care Foundation.
Dr. Huff has been recognized with numerous awards for his unfailing dedication to children's health. He exemplifies a true Razor Walker through the breadth and scope of his passion and commitment to our state, its citizens and its children.Kathy Stoute
Public Service
"When speaking of Kathy Stoute, words like exceptional, loyal, resilient, committed, dedicated, determined and focused come to mind. She is not deterred by overwhelming odds. She simply gets results."
As director for the New Hanover County Youth Empowerment Services (YES) department, Kathy Ann Stoute serves at-risk, delinquent and adjudicated youth ages 6 to 19 who need assistance in achieving their full potential. She has faced many challenges in this role, working with limited funding while responding to increased demand for youth programming.
Prior to becoming the director of YES, Ms. Stoute served as a staff psychologist for New Hanover Correctional Facility and then for the Juvenile Psychological Court Program with Southeastern Center for Mental Health.
A native of Peoria, Ill., Ms. Stoute has spent much of her life in North Carolina. She graduated with honors from Campbell University with a bachelor's degree in psychology. She then went on to receive her master's degree in clinical psychology from East Carolina University.
Kathy Stoute's passion is to leave a lasting legacy by making a difference in the lives of young people, a key requirement for Razor Walker recipients. Ms. Stoute has improved the lives of families in New Hanover County and beyond, and she continues to positively influence the lives of many each and every day.
Sponsors for the 2012 Razor Walker Awards:
Special Thanks To
Corporate Host
Razor Walker Contributors
Dr. Heyward C. Bellamy, '02
Dr. H. David Bruton, '99
Ms. Elizabeth Frasier, '05
Mr. Charles F. Green, III, '98
Ms. Anna W. Hattaway, '95
Mr. David L. Jones/Pawn USA, Inc. '06
Dr. Noel K. Jones, '06
Mr. Phillip J. Kirk, Jr. / Brady Energy Services, '06
Ms. Tannis F. Nelson, '03
Dr. Frank R. Reynolds, '04
Dr. Robert E. Tyndall, '00
Mr. James Wallace/Intracoastal Realty, '07
Previous honorees designated by the year in which they received the award
