Some made us pause. Some made us cheer. Some made us think harder about who we are — and how we show up. These five stories blended heart, history and hometown innovation in ways that reminded us what local storytelling is for.
Photo by Sarah Owens.
Riva Hirsch, 91, is a Holocaust survivor. She was captured by Nazis at the age of 7 and endured unimaginable horrors while in a concentration camp. After surviving the war, Riva moved to the United States with her husband and two children and now lives at Brookdale University Park in Homewood.
“A living testament: Riva Hirsch, 91” (by Sarah Owens): From cattle cars and camps to a six-foot bunker and liberation from a Nazi concentration camp, then a life rebuilt across Israel, New York and Birmingham, Hirsch’s voice is unflinching: “The lice were my breakfast, my lunch, my dinner.” With denial rising, she keeps speaking: “Make sure this never happens again.”
Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
Wunderfan app founder Blake Patterson shows off the app's features at Mountain Brook High School on Feb. 24, 2025.
“Wunderfan: Changing the game” (by Tim Stephens): A homegrown fan-engagement app from MBHS alum Blake Patterson lights up a real-time student heat map during a girls regional title game — 700-plus students engaged — and hands a Dorians dancer a $1,000 raffle win. Brands, tickets, watch-to-earn, school takeovers, even an NBA deal — the story was equal parts product, proof and possibility.
“Class of 2025: Born into virtual, graduating IRL” (by Emily Reed): Student-voiced reflections that read like a time capsule — iPhone natives tempered by a pandemic, stepping into an AI-shaped world. “We didn’t learn how to navigate the internet — we learned in it,” one senior said. Another: “I want AI to do my laundry and dishes so I can make art.”
Photos courtesy of the Clarks.
John Evans, left, and Oliver Clark make food for customers of the Who’s Hungry Food Truck.
“A place at the table: Who’s Hungry Food Truck” (by Emily Reed): Will and Oliver Clark wanted to offer not just meals, but choices. With Canterbury UMC’s truck and a growing crew of MBHS friends, Lynn Park weekends turned into cheeseburgers, Philly cheesesteaks and Grandma’s meatloaf — served with conversation. “We are just guys who love to cook and eat with people they like.”
Photo by Tosha Gaines
Mountain Brook High School students Mae Dapkis (left) and Olivia Self interview Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin for their politically focused podcast, "In the Running."
“MBHS students launch ‘In the Running’” (by April Coffey): Two juniors, a neighborhood run and a smart fix for low-info local races. Mae Dapkus and Olivia Self built a civics podcast that lets voters “get to know the candidates before heading to the polls,” asking who they are beyond slogans and closing every episode with, “Why should people vote for you — in one sentence?” Interviews ranged from Mountain Brook council hopefuls to Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, recorded at Polaris Studios. A student project with real public value.
