A Class Act

If Spain Park High School football coach Shawn Raney had a daughter, he knows the type guy he would want her to bring home once she got ready to date.

A guy like Douglas Henze, who played as a defensive lineman for Raney on the Jaguar football team.

Raney said Henze will always be one of his most memorable students and players. Raney’s admiration for the young man motivated him to nominate Henze for the 2017 Finley Award given out annually to a senior who demonstrates outstanding character.

Henze was the winner at Spain Park, while Austin Carter was the winner at Hoover High and Deer Valley Elementary teacher Jan Curtis won the award for a Hoover City Schools faculty member. All three were honored at a banquet at Metropolitan Church of God in March.

“Doug has always displayed a high degree of integrity, responsibility and ambition,” Raney said in a letter recommending Henze for the award. “He treats his teammates, classmates, coaches and teachers with the utmost respect.”

He has a strong work ethic, showing up every morning at 6:30 in the weight room to do extra work, Raney said.

“He is definitely a leader rather than a follower,” Raney wrote. “He is always the first one to show up and the last one to leave, and is the definition of leading by example.”

In addition to earning a starting position on the varsity football team, Henze has shown leadership in the classroom by maintaining an excellent GPA, Raney said.

Henze’s advanced placement calculus teacher, Paul Carboni, also recommended Henze for the Finley Award. Henze grabbed his attention early in the school year because of his solid work ethic, incredibly smart comments in class, positive attitude, good sense of humor and the way he is respected by his peers and works well with them, Carboni said.

“Douglas is in my first period calculus class, and he always seems to arrive in the morning with an outstanding attitude and always seems to be happy to be here,” Carboni wrote. “He has yet to miss a single assignment all year, which is particularly impressive considering how much time he loses to football practice and games. He even had his homework ready on the Friday morning after a late Thursday night football game.”

Henze excels in academics, particularly in math and science and has been accepted to Harvard University, where he plans to major in psychology in the fall. But he also shines outside the classroom, Carboni wrote.

He is an Eagle Scout, leader in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and a leader in the Relay for Life fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. He also is a leader in the youth ministry at First Christian Church of Birmingham, served as a Vacation Bible School teacher, participated in mission trips and served as a worship and small group leader at church.

“He has a heart for serving others and finds joys in others’ happiness,” wrote the Rev. Robin Blakemore, the minister of discipleship at First Christian Church. “Douglas is bright, thoughtful, talented and compassionate. He is a natural leader who sees leadership as an obligation to serve rather than an occasion for accolades.”

Raney said Henze also is full of school spirit, showing up to cheer the boys and girls in just about every sport.

“Everything about the kid is outstanding,” Raney said. “Coach Finley would have enjoyed coaching him.”