Memphis Parent announced its search for the inaugural class of 10<20 youth and young adults who are making phenomenal waves across the city and abroad. This award celebrates individuals who strive to impact their community through school, business, leadership, or service, by committing themselves to changing the lives of others for the better.
With so many stories of young people striving to make a difference, building a purposeful future, and even brightening the days of others, we wanted to recognize some of their efforts for the world to see, and to simply say “thank you!”
We are pleased to announce Memphis Parent’s 2024 honorees for the 10<20 Youth Impact Award!
Photo by Justin Fox Burks
Bryson Cantrell 15
Bryson is a freshman at Arlington High School. He is a member of the high school marching band, where he plays the trombone and has two years of All-West Top Band participation under his belt, beginning in middle school.
Bryson is a member of Rotary International’s Interact Community Club (Germantown), which brings together young people, ages 12-18, to develop leadership skills while discovering the power of service above self. He has been named an assistant district governor for the Interact District Council, assisting newly formed community clubs, Germantown, and South City.
Bryson can also be heard on Junior Achievement’s World Ready Radio, a podcast that examines how early inspiration and real-life learning experiences about entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial literacy actively shape one’s education, career, and life journey.
Bryson’s laid-back nature and genuine smile are only hints into the depth of the person he truly is. He has always been a giver, even at an early age. His desire to help was often overshadowed by his quiet nature, but ended up being the trait that helped children the most.
He, and his twin sister founded BookIt4Life at the age of eight, after noticing children at school only read books with pictures in them. They wanted to offer a chance for them to know there was so much more to be read and learned. After being featured on WREG News Channel 3, BookIt4Life developed into a social club with a variety of children joining. They have also partnered with the Memphis Public Library and created Memphis Children’s Business Fairs – a one-day pop-up shop hosted for children ages 6-16, allowing them to launch their own business and products to promote and sell in their local community.
Bryson is excelling in his desire to give back and encourage his peers to come out of their shells, all while continuing to show the leadership skills and importance of our young males in society.
Photo by Justin Fox Burks
Peighton A. Cantrell 15
Peighton is a freshman at Arlington High School. Peighton shines her light everywhere she goes. This has been true of her as early as preschool. She has a heart of gold and always wants to help others be their best selves.
Peighton is a member of the Student Council at her school, and an active member of Best Buddies International, where she previously served as president for the middle school club. She’s also a member of Active Minds and the Arlington High School Theatre group.
Peighton is a member of Rotary International’s Interact Community Club (Germantown), and has been named an assistant district governor for the Interact District Council, assisting schools such as Arlington High School, Collierville High School, and Manassas High School.
Peighton often volunteers to work with youth at church as well. She recently participated in a Youth TED Talk, and can be heard on Junior Achievement’s World Ready podcast.
She is also the co-owner of BookIt4Life Children’s Book & Social Club, a 501(c)3 nonprofit — founded with her twin brother at the age of eight — created to foster literacy and provide fun, educational opportunities for children. They have also partnered with the Memphis Public Library and created Memphis Children’s Business Fairs – a one-day pop-up shop hosted for children ages 6-16, allowing them to launch their own business and products to promote and sell in their local community.
The fair is hosted at Wolfchase Galleria, and they have given over 100 children in the Mid-South the opportunity to experience owning a business, networking with like-minded youth, and opening the doors to some amazing stories and opportunities for themselves and others.
In recent years, Peighton and her brother have received sponsorships from notable community partners fueling the flame of their participants with local business support. She is thriving in her desire to create opportunities for her peers across the board.
Photo by Justin Fox Burks
Landyce Harden 16
Landyce is a freshman at KIPP Memphis Collegiate High School. He has a genuine love for supporting his peers, teachers, and overall school.
Some of his volunteer experience includes his work as a manager for the ladies basketball team. He has utilized his skills and talent with helping to design a logo to be installed in the football locker room as well as floor imagery on campus. It has been shared that he creates drawings and art that are like a breath of fresh air to his fellow classmates.
Landyce also volunteers his time to film for a semipro team in West Memphis, named the Mississippi Brawlers, a developmental football team that plays in the Next Level Football Alliance. He is also assisting with the formation of a podcast titled “Speak with Sprad.”
He is always willing to help anyone around the school to keep up the morale through his joyful laughter and eager attitude. This has also crossed over into helping teachers stay motivated and keeping the class focused, as his presence brings out the best in others.
Photo by Justin Fox Burks
Leia Harper 17
Leia is a senior at Harding Academy in Memphis, who has volunteered her time through mission trips, tutoring at her school, feeding the homeless, and reading to younger students at Harding.
When it comes to volunteering, Leia does not shy away from the opportunity. Through partnering with Life Church, she has volunteered to prepare hygiene items, food, and baby products for the less fortunate and their families.
Leia volunteered at Treadwell School, helping to repaint classrooms and lockers, and repurpose flower beds located on campus.
Through Harding’s mission trips program, Leia was able to travel to Atlanta, preparing lunches, dinners, hygiene items, and feminine products for the homeless. She also took the time to pave the streets, abandoned camps, and underneath interstate bridges to pray and hand out necessities to the homeless.
She has contributed volunteer efforts with Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church and Mid-South Food Bank.
Additional Achievements & Extracurriculars: Track, soccer, Captain Varsity Cheer, Harding Acapella Choir, Campus Life Ambassador, Girl Scouts, Delta GEMS, Mid-South Food Bank, BRIDGES, Student Council Advocate, and Youth Ministry - Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church
Photo by Justin Fox Burks
Londyn Harper 15
Londyn is a freshman at Harding Academy in Memphis, who loves to teach dance. Her volunteer track includes mission trips, feeding the homeless, tutoring, and reading sessions with elementary kids.
Londyn is not afraid to lend a helping hand when needed, and has participated in a multitude of service-learning projects and giving back at her young age. Through partnering with Life Church, she has volunteered to prepare hygiene items, food, and baby products for the less fortunate and their families.
She contributed her time and talent to helping paint classrooms and lockers at Treadwell School, as well as restoring flower beds on the campus grounds.
Londyn has traveled to other cities, such as Atlanta — as part of Harding’s mission trips program — assisting with the preparation of lunches, dinners, hygiene items, and feminine products to distribute to the homeless. She has also prayed and donated necessities to homeless individuals living on the streets, abandoned camps, and underneath interstate bridges.
She volunteers at her church, Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church, helping with food pantries alongside Mid-South Food Bank.
Additional Achievements & Extracurriculars: Soccer, cheer, track, Student Government Association, National Honor Society, choir, BRIDGES, Delta GEMS, Girl Scouts, and Mid-south Food Bank
Photo by Justin Fox Burks
Braylon Jackson 14
Braylon is a freshman at Evangelical Christian School in Cordova, who has a heart for giving back to his community and abroad.
Through Miles2Go, a not-for-profit organization founded by Braylon, the mission aims to positively influence conditions that ensure equity and to impact readiness. Through a back-to-school supply drive hosted in the summer, the organization provides essential learning tools and school supplies that equip students for academic success regardless of demographics.
During summer 2023, Miles2Go received sponsorships from several local businesses in an effort to reach his goals for the back-to-school supply drive. Collected supplies were distributed to more than 100 students with the help of volunteers, prior to the start of the school year.
Miles2Go is currently planning a give-back event to support the elderly community: “With Love from Lou,” in honor of Braylon’s grandmother, Louise, whom he lost in January 2023.
Additional Achievements & Extracurriculars: ECS Golf Team, ECS Band, CMDS/ECS Theater, Bridge Builders, Miles2Go, Memphis Aerospace Career Education (ACE) Academy, Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP) Student Member, Yearbook Staff, Model UN-Youth in Government (outstanding resolution award recipient), Feed My Starving Children volunteer, WKNO Teacher Teacher volunteer, and Shelby County Youth Council
Photo by Justin Fox Burks
Zaria Merkson 13
Zaria is an eighth grader at KIPP Memphis Collegiate Middle School. She is president of the Student Council, and is very involved at her school.
Zaria is a bright student who is academically equipped and has a promising future in STEM, more specifically in math and science. She gives back to her school by always lending a helping hand to her peers and teachers, including volunteering her support with the local Boys & Girls Club.
Zaria also contributes her time outside of school with after-school tutoring. During holidays, she helps her mother feed the homeless, and on some weekends, she helps out at a local hotel where her mom is employed.
Additional Achievements & Extracurriculars: National Beta Club, Student Government, Boys & Girls Club, and Honor Roll
Photo by Justin Fox Burks
Anaya Murray 17
Anaya is a senior at Faith Heritage Christian Academy in Millington. She is quite busy with her volunteer and service efforts at school and within communities.
Anaya has been a mentor and leader at both her school and Stax Music Academy, helping write and star in their national Black History Month programming for the last two years. Her work with the Grizzlies Foundation focuses on encouraging mentor programs for teens, and she empowers women in technology as a participant in Code Crew.
Anaya has written three books, including an activity book, Ava Joins the Robotics Team, to promote and expose girls to science and technology careers. One of her books has both an English and Spanish version, as she is fluent in both.
She’s been an exemplary role model to younger students at Stax Music Academy, leading by example to show that hard work pays off.
Anaya has acquired over 250 volunteer hours with ALSAC, and more than 100 hours in Guatemala — helping build a house for a local family. She is the creator of “Circle of Friends,” an online support group for young girls to help them cope with isolation during lockdown, and a safe space to share fears and concerns.
Additional Achievements & Extracurriculars: National Honor Society - President & Vice President, TEDx Speaker - “Empowering Girls In Technology,” Youth Advisory Council - Memphis Grizzlies Foundation, filmmaker, Cloud 901 Film and Indie Memphis Crew Up, vocalist at Stax Music Academy, National Beta Society - Leadership; plus various awards, including AP Scholar, National NCWIT for Aspirations in Computing, National Scholastics Art & Writing in Photography Competition, National Congressional App Challenge, Black Girls Film School Canon Camera Ambassador, and many more.
Photo by Justin Fox Burks
Kevin Poplar 12
Kevin is a sixth grader at Booker T. Washington Middle School in Memphis, and is considered to be a faithful volunteer in his community. He volunteers with various programs and nonprofit organizations, helping to keep community projects organized and working efficiently.
Kevin has served in neighborhoods with the cleaning of blight from curbs, local parks, as well as surrounding communities for the Memphis City Beautiful program. He has committed his volunteer efforts to supporting his neighbor’s nonprofit organization, working for a few years now helping with planting, pruning, and harvesting of the community garden. Kevin works in the summer to assist in maintaining the organization’s four lawns through cutting, raking, and bagging grass.
To help advance the organization’s mission and programming, Kevin assists other children in the learning center, and is usually the last to leave after storing equipment away for the day. Kevin exhibits kindness to those around him and keeps an enthusiastic attitude throughout his involvement in programs.
Kevin believes in helping to keep his community clean because he lives there; and while others might throw out trash in the neighborhood, he feels “somebody’s got to get it up.” Seeing his neighbor cleaning truly drives him to want to help her, and as a result, his community.
Photo by Justin Fox Burks
J’oules Williams 18
J’oules is a senior at Hutchison High School in Memphis, and engages with youth in various demographics and communities.
J’oules serves as a student volunteer with first-time offense juvenile cases in roles such as jurors, prosecutors, and defense attorneys. She facilitates events to help juveniles embrace their role as young citizens in Shelby County, as well as helping determine things they like to participate in. Volunteers get to experience what a day in court looks like and share positive peer support to defendants.
J’oules is a youth leader at BRIDGES, an organization that unites and inspires diverse young people to become confident and courageous leaders committed to community transformation. She is part of the Bridge Builders program and Leadership Council, where she facilitates training centered on leadership and life skills offered to various grades.
As a participant in Delta GEMS (Growing & Empowering Myself Successfully), created to catch the dreams of African American adolescent high school girls, ages 14-18, J’oules has learned life skills as a young Black woman preparing to embark on her journey to college. Part of her experience has included volunteering with making cards for the elderly, donating items for various charities supported by the sorority, and engaging in sorority events such as Founders Day.
The Crest Society has afforded J’oules the opportunity to serve as a school ambassador, representing Hutchison School during events and guiding prospective families.
Additional Achievements & Extracurriculars: Bridge Builders, BRIDGES Leadership Council, Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court Youth Court Member, Delta GEMS, Roger Scholar, Crest Society, Peer Council, and Facing History Club President
Special thanks to Crosstown Concourse and Memphis Listening Lab for hosting this year's photo shoot! Photos by Justin Fox Burks