Poyen teen given award

Brother’s death inspired service

— When 21-year-old Jake Hogg died in 2008 from complications after a heart transplant a year earlier, his younger brother Brady, then 15, decided to establish a legacy of giving in his brother’s honor.

Last fall, with help from the Poyen High School Beta Club, Brady Hogg raised $817, collected 433 pounds of nonperishable food and gathered more than 150 Christmas gifts for five families who had loved ones waiting at Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock for a heart transplant during the holidays.

He said his project, “Mending a Broken Heart,” is dedicated to the memory of his brother, and hopes it will become an annual fundraiser.

Hogg, now a 17-yearold senior, on Sunday was named the winner of the 2010-11 Daniel Cayce Award and a $1,000 scholarship at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service.

“I wanted to do something to help the families that have been in that situation,” Hogg said. “It’s hard to have a decent income for presents or to go get them because you’re in the hospital so much.”

The award is given by the school annually to an Arkansas high school student for outstanding public service, said Ben Beaumont, director of communications for the school.

Nikolai DiPippa, director of public programs for theschool, said Hogg’s story was inspiring.

“Instead of at that moment turning away and having it be a detriment to himself, he gave back,” DiPippa said. “If he wasn’t involved, that project doesn’t happen.”

Hogg has one older brother and lives with his parents, Clay and Jessica Hogg, in Poyen. Too familiar with tragedy, Jessica Hogg said her son also lost another older brother to suicide in 2008.

Jessica Hogg said when the family traveled back and forth to Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock for Jake, there were “a lot of long days, waiting, not knowing.”

“As time goes on, it can be a financial burden,” she said.

As Brady Hogg experienced firsthand the struggles heart-transplant families face, his mother said he was inspired “to help families waiting for heart transplants atChristmas.”

Hogg, along with six other club members, delivered donations to the hospital.

Beaumont said the Cayce Award was established in 2005 but this is the first year the school will be giving $1,000 to the recipient.

“We wanted to reward their good work,” Beaumont said. “We wanted the student to putthat scholarship money toward academics or other projects they might be doing.”

Hogg said he has not yet decided between the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, but was encouraged by his late brother to attend college.

“He influenced me to be who I am,” Hogg said. “Hepushed me to do better because he didn’t go to college and wanted me to.”

This year, the school received 40 applications for the Cayce Award. Those were narrowed to 10 finalists, DiPippa said.

Skip Rutherford, dean of the Clinton School, said, “I believe people don’t realize the good works and the good deeds young people in Arkansas are doing every day.”

Applicants were required to be a junior or senior in high school and to submit an essay detailing their community service, according to the application.

A committee of four Clinton School staff members and one graduate assistant judged the applicants.

Hogg, who said he looked up to his late brother as a “hero,” said the experience was life changing.

“It was a rewarding feeling to do this not only for my brother, but for the families ... it was amazing to help out,” he said.

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 9 on 02/21/2011

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