Hallie Casey, Hudson Falls High School
Hailie Casey is a senior at Hudson Falls High School, where she plays varsity tennis, basketball and softball. She is actively involved in many clubs at her school including Student Council, Roots and Shoots and Spanish Club. Casey was chosen to attend a Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership seminar in 2018, and the American Legion Auxiliary Empire Girls State program in 2019.
Outside of school, she is involved in many church events including serving at monthly church dinners and planning a youth convention for students across New York state. Casey is also involved in the Act With Respect Always initiative, founded by local Coach Rich Johns.
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How did you meet Coach Rich Johns? “I had heard Coach Johns speak at my Intermediate School when I was in 4th grade. At the time I was too shy, but I had wanted to meet him since then. It wasn’t until 2018 that I had the courage to reach out to Coach, telling him I would be attending a boys’ basketball game at my school. We made it work, and we were finally able to meet in person. It was also exciting because he brought me an AWRA shirt, which I had been wanting!”
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How did you hear about Act With Respect Always? “My school district preaches kindness at the younger levels, and so I first heard about Act With Respect Always in 4th grade. He came to speak at my school about his program. I remember the rest of that day, my friends joked around and continuously asked me “What’s your 99, Hailie?”.
“I just laughed because I didn’t know how to respond, or what that even meant. Little did I know that that phrase would help change me into the person I am today.”
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How has the Act With Respect Always mission affected you personally?
“Act with Respect Always has affected me personally because it completely changed how I approached every situation. Coach Johns has taught me a lot about life, and a lot about myself. The
most important lesson I’ve learned is accountability. The slogan “What’s your 99?” says it all. The 1 is your appearance, but your 99 is the kindness you bring; how you make others feel.
“Accountability is so important in this; you always have to be honest with yourself. It also makes you realize that not getting a perfect “99” is ok, and that it will happen. Each day, I strive towards choosing kindness in every situation. This is no easy task, but it’s always possible. Being empathetic helps me stay kind.” 4 How do you pay it forward? “Choosing to pay it forward doesn’t necessarily mean doing extravagant things. It simply means to brighten someone’s day; lessen their burdens. I volunteer a lot throughout my community, but I think my most favorite place I’ve volunteered was during my school’s STEAMWORKS Summer Enrichment classes. I have dedicated time the past two summers to volunteer in a classroom teaching Spanish with my Spanish teacher.
“I wore my AWRA bracelet every day, and I even wore my AWRA shirt sometimes. The students were so excited that I knew about this program, and it made my heart happy seeing their faces light up when I told them I personally knew Mr. Johns. Each summer, I challenged my students to act with kindness, and it was exciting to hear them come back each morning with a new story of how they decided to choose kindness.
“I like knowing that I am a role model to the younger students in my community, it’s a really great feeling.” 5 How would you describe the Act With Respect Always mission to others?
“Act With Respect Always is a challenging, yet rewarding mission, but nonetheless, it’s life changing. People who know me, know that kindness is the most valued trait that I carry, and that’s because of AWRA. I would describe Act With Respect Always to be a mission in which you learn to respect others, but also yourself. AWRA works to make a community better by starting with you.
“All you need to do is be kind. Coach has been an inspiration of mine for much of my life, and I’m very confident when I say I wouldn’t be who I am today if it wasn’t for Act With Respect Always. Thank you for your dedication, Mr. Johns.”