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Unexpected Hero

by Brynn Anderson
Brandon Frederick, 16, plans a flag football move with Norian Young and Nyrhobi Dornan, 12, outside the Panther Place after-school program.

“Brandon! Brandon! Can you please help me, Brandon?”

Brandon Frederick can’t sing like Justin Bieber. He can’t dunk like Lebron James. He doesn’t know Miley Cyrus. But to the kids at the Panther Place afterschool program, he is more important than those celebrities.

Brandon leaves high school every weekday and goes to the Valley View Education Center where the shy, soft spoken 16-year-old survivor of Hurricane Katrina is surrounded by energetic, outgoing third graders.

“I was scared and lonely. I thought I would never see my dad again,” Brandon said. ”We came to Kentucky from New Orleans with nothing and Red Cross was there to help. I know what it’s like to need and I don’t want anyone to go through that if I can help.”

He has volunteered almost 300 hours to the Red Cross and United Way. But his love for helping people grew stronger when he started volunteering for the Valley View Education Center. The Panther Place afterschool program provides an educational experience for at-risk children in Elizabethtown. Brandon entered the lives of those kids four years ago, helping them and changing him.

The Panther Place kids run up to Brandon and hug him every day. And, every day he’s there — laughing, teasing and teaching — just because he wants to help.

Brandon Frederick, 16, wrote a book about his experiences as a Hurricane Katrina survivor. Carolann Christian, a counselor at Helmwood Heights Elementary School, uses that book to talk about "resilience" with third-grade students.
Brandon Fredrick, 16, center, plays "Old Maid" with Angelayah Hobson, 8, Isaiah Smith, 11, and Kaytlin Vantassell, 8, during the annual family visitation at Elizabethtown's Panther Place after-school program.
Brandon Frederick, 16, has spent more than 200 hours volunteering to the community of Elizabethtown.
Freshman Brandon Frederick has spent more than 300 hours volunteering. He helps third-graders at the Panther Place, an after-school program.
Brandon Fredrick, 16, sometimes struggles with his college prep classes, remians to do well. "He's quiet, but trying to find his way," says Jennifer Fulford, who teaches survey social science at Elizabethtown High School.
Freshman Brandon Frederick leaves the lunch room of Eizabethtown High School on his way to his survey of social science.
Brandon Frederick, 16, guides Sendy Phanbandith, 8, back into the Panther Place. Third-graders get a recess for finishing homework.
Brandon Frederick leads Zachary Taylor, Sendy Phanbandith and Jada Porter to the bus after an afternoon of homework and games at Elizabethtown's Panther Place.
Brandon Fredrick, 16, helps Adam Sisoumankhara, 8, read "Grace's Letter to Lincoln" during the Panther Place after-school program, while Zion Love works on math.