Rex Climer III
Tennessee

“My friends say that my mom is one of the coolest moms they know. I may argue with them about that at times, but if I take a step back, I see that she is not only one of the coolest moms I know, she is one of the coolest people I know. She taught me how to take control of my hemophilia and not let it control me.”

Rex received the Jefferson Award for community service for $2,000, to be donated to the organization of his choice. He chose to donate the money to the Tennessee Hemophilia and Bleeding Disorders Foundation and earmarked the funds to help kids attend hemophilia summer camp.

Rex has been very involved with Boy Scouts of America and his 4-H club. He has helped care for and save animals his whole life. He is presently becoming certified as a Disaster Animal Response Team member through FEMA for Tennessee.

Rex will be a sophomore at the University of Tennessee at Martin this fall, studying engineering with a minor in agriculture, and is a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho professional and social agriculture fraternity.

Ethan Jansen
Florida

“The volunteer work I am most proud of was my time teaching 5th-grade students in an inner-city elementary school in Orlando. The program was set up through the Honors College at University of Central Florida (UCF), and was aimed at helping under privileged students learn about college. While there will not be an immediate impact, letting these kids know that college even exists and is a possibility in their future can make a big difference in their planning. I taught the students lessons on how to take notes, set goals, and collaborate in teams. I also took the students around the UCF college campus so they could see what a college looked like.”

Ethan volunteered at a Cub Scout camp working with 20 boys, teaching them various Scout skills and assisting the den leaders. He has earned his Eagle Scout award, and is a member of the Burnett Honor’s College at UCF, where he has a GPA of 4.0.

Ethan will be a sophomore at the University of Central Florida this fall, where he is studying mechanical engineering.

Christian Mund
Massachusetts

“Through all of the community service, participation in the Boy Scouts, and my hemophilia community, I have learned important life lessons and have gained characteristics that have helped shape me into the person I am today.”

Christian has been a leader for the Vacation Bible School at the Groveland Congregational Church each summer for the past four years.  He became an Eagle Scout this past November.

Christian was a leader in training at both the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, established by Paul Newman, where he worked with kids who have life-threatening illnesses. He was also a leader in training at the New England Hemophilia Association Family Camp, established to help young children who have hemophilia.

Christian will be a freshman at Syracuse University this fall and will study film production/cinematography at the College of Visual and Performing Arts, School of Art and Design, art video program.

Nicholas Popp
Illinois

“To live with hemophilia means conquering obstacles. My disorder has stopped me from participating in many things in my life, just because there was a chance of getting injured. However, this has never stopped me from trying. I believe it is our right, as hemophiliacs, to prove to the world that we are not crippled. “

Nicholas volunteers as a research assistant in the Pathology Department at the University of Chicago where he conducts scientific research on the effects of heparin and other clotting factors. Internationally, he traveled to Peru for five weeks to teach basic health techniques to people in the poorest regions of the city of Trujillo. He also volunteered in local clinics helping people with dengue fever. Over the last three summers, Nicholas has volunteered at Camp Barnabas, a camp for children with chronic illnesses.

Nicholas participates in intramural sports such as volleyball, ultimate Frisbee, midnight soccer, and basketball.

Nicholas is studying biochemistry and biology at the University of Chicago, where he will be a junior this fall.