78 Magazine’s April issue will be Future’s So Bright: 30 Under 30, so we wanted to catch up with some of Walker County’s 20-somethings for a round of 13 Questions. First up is Lauren Gordon!

One of the first issues parents face when sending a child to college is, “How can we afford this?” Fortunately, grants and scholarships are available in our community to help qualifying students cover tuition costs for college. One of the organizations working to provide students with funds for college is the Walker College Foundation (WCF) in Jasper.

“If you’ve been here as long as I have, you’ve seen kids grow up from babies and now they are going through college,” Jim says. “I know most people on a first-name basis, but if I don’t know their name, I know their face.”

Jeff Burrough has served as Walker County Commissioner for District 2 for the last four years. We recently sat down with Jeff to ask him about his life and his service to Walker County.

“The cheering at football games and competing in Nationals in Orlando is fun, but it’s just so much more than that,” Abby says. “The fact that I am given so many opportunities to make a small difference or brighten someone’s day means the most to me.

“My mother was a teacher and coach at Walker County Training School,” Medlock says. “As a young kid, I would go with her to all of her games. I would also follow around the head basketball coach at the training school. As a black kid, there was nothing else to do but go to the local games.”

“Bevill State should serve as the catalyst for economic growth by providing workforce solutions and quality education opportunities for prospective business and industry and the families who reside in our service area.”

In 2004, Chris returned to Alabama and coached at Bragg Middle School in Gardendale for nine years, developing a very successful program in that community. Under his leadership, Bragg went to the Jefferson County Middle School Championship five of those years and won the championship in four out of five tries. It was here that Chris says he “got the itch that [he] wanted to be a head coach.”

Years later, Erin was awarded a full scholarship to Auburn University. Before she left, Paul replaced the Tennessee tag on the front of her Chevy Blazer with an Auburn tag—which was changed back after she graduated in 2007. “We had to say, ‘War Eagle’ for four years,” Phyllis laughs.

“When we won the state championship this year, my message to the team was that the standard had been set, and we are not going to lower the standard…It’s y’all’s job to rise up and continue what we’ve started. Let’s get ready to do this again.’”

Due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, Bevill State Community College will begin the 2021 Spring Semester with classes in a virtual, online, or remote format.

“At the time, we didn’t realize what extremes they went to for us,” Mandi says. “Mom would constantly rearrange her work schedule and Dad even drove overnight to South Carolina while battling the flu, just to be at one of our travel ball games. “

“I know where these young men are at because I’ve been there,” Bowen says. “I know what they want. I show them where their game needs for them to get to the next level.”