difference in animals’ lives in the
community, she’s changed one
particular dog’s life significantly and
emphatically.
“Not long after she became a
volunteer at the shelter, she came
home worried about a young pit
bull named Jackson. He hadn’t been
adopted, was heartworm-positive,
and would soon be ‘put to sleep’ if
no one claimed him. She continu-
ously checked to see if he had been
adopted on their Facebook page and
when he came up as ‘urgent’ she
began to beg. Of course, now, one
of our three dogs from the shelter is
Jackson. He’s been a wonderful addi-
tion to our family,” her mother said.
Alyssa Hughes
Helpful, Hardworking, Goal-
Oriented and Determined
32
Alyssa Hughes, 19, is a shining
example of the positive impact that
participating in FFA and 4-H has on
young people.
“It taught me a lot,” Hughes said.
“The most important thing I got from
my participation in FFA is that it
helped me to establish a very valu-
able work ethic.”
Bounding out of bed each morn-
ing, waking long before sunrise to
take care of the animals is something
that is foreign to the majority of
American girls of our time.
Participation in local FFA meet-
ings and taking the lead in the orga-
nization’s programs was a key factor
in transforming Hughes from the
introverted and shy child she once
was to the confident young woman
she is today.
Beginning as a member of the
Spring Creek 4-H Club, Hughes
quickly overcame her shyness and
eventually helped take the organiza-
tion’s reins as club vice-president.
FFA is famous for helping build
generations of strong men and
women by helping them learn
responsibility as they pursue activities
they love.
In the case of Hughes, she loved
taking care of and showing cattle.
Hughes prepared and showed
steers at stock shows as a protégé of
famed cattle aficionado Jim Martin.
“Alyssa is an ultra-sweet young
girl, very smart and attentive,” Martin
said. “I mentored her through FFA.
She has an extraordinary work ethic
and she’s very eager to learn. Alyssa
has a very bright future ahead of
her.”
Eventually, she became vice-presi-
dent of Spring Creek 4-H Club.
“As vice-president, I helped orga-
nize a lot of the Spring Creek F-H’s
fundraising efforts,” she said. “A lot
of the members were involved in arts
and crafts, making items that we’d
sell to raise money.”
The work and preparation for
each show and compassion for the
animals was also an important factor
in molding Hughes’s character, help-
ing her set her goals and prepare
herself for her future in what’s
referred to as “The Real World.”
In the fall, she plans to pursue a
degree at UTA, a stepping stone to
her career goal of becoming a regis-
tered nurse.
“I love to help people,” Hughes
said. “I want to spend my life doing
good things and help make the world
a better place.”
Hughes graduated from
Weatherford High School, took some
basic classes at Weatherford College
and now, as assistant manager at
Palio’s Pizza Café in Hudson Oaks,
carrying quite a lot of responsibility
for a 19-year-old. But, she is quick to
point out that she loves her job and
loves to work.
“I love being with people and
I love helping people,” she said.
“That’s two things that drew me to
nursing.”
Charley Clark
Tenaious Survivor
Life can be hard for youngsters, but
not many young people possess the
determination that Charley Clark
has. The 11-year-old young lady
overcame a heart condition very
early in life. When Charley was
just 4 years old, her parents took
her to the doctor for an ear infec-
tion. What followed was a trip to
the cardiologist, where the doctors
told her parents that Charley had a
heart defect: patent ductus arteriosus
(otherwise known as PDA).
“When the baby’s in the mother’s
womb, the mother’s blood oxygen-
ates the baby’s blood,” Charley’s
father, Jeff Clark, explained. “After
birth, that duct is open between the
upper chambers, and that naturally
closes. Well, Charley’s never closed
… she had to have a heart procedure
done when she was a little over 4
years old.”
Luckily, Charley’s procedure was a
success, and Charley is now quite the