When Corban Burrell was called out of band class, he didn’t necessarily think good news was on the way.
“I thought, ‘Oh snap, what did I do?’” Burrell said. “Then Mrs. (Hope) Barnhill picked up on it, saw me kind of wide-eyed and said, ‘You’re not in trouble. Wait … should you be in trouble?’”
But Barnhill was delivering great news to the Hahnville High student – Burrell had been named St. Charles Parish Rotary Club Young Person of the Year, one of two 2025 honorees along with Destrehan High’s Hannah Burst (who was featured in the May 8 edition of the Herald-Guide).
“I was kind of shocked when she broke it down for me,” said Burrell.
He was nominated by members of the HHS rotary club, who annually look to nominate someone outside of the club who does positive things for the school.
Burrell is involved in plenty of activities at Hahnville – the senior has been a member of the Hahnville basketball team, track and field team and the Tiger band, including time as band president and a section leader.
But his selection also had much to do with his leadership on school campus.
“(The award) really gave me a sense of appreciation that people are recognizing some of the things I do for other people – and really, these are things I really enjoy doing,” Burrell said. “Helping out, making sure everyone’s OK and on the same page, and giving reassurance that if anyone needs somebody. that they can look to me.”
The senior said that he was taught at a young age to lead by example.
“My family instilled in me to not just be part of a crowd, but to set an example for the crowd,” said Burrell. “I have to thank my dad and my grandmother, my aunts and uncles for that. They always wanted what’s best for myself, my cousins and the rest of our family.
“I never thought about what that statement really meant until I started getting older and saw how much people look up to people who are different, who step outside the box and do the right things and set a good example for others around you.”
Burrell was crowned homecoming king last fall, one memorable moment of a senior year that’s been full of them.
He said that at the awards banquet, rotary members conveyed to Burrell why he was selected, and that hearing their explanation meant a great deal to him.
“They were saying that somebody might have said I did this or that to help them … it really meant a lot because these were things I’d do for anyone on any given day, but hearing that it’s so appreciated just makes me want to strive for more and to continue helping people in that manner,” Burrell said. “That award really means a lot to me because it lets me know that I’ve been able to make a positive difference for other people.”
