WEBB CITY, Mo. — Our latest Golden Lion Award winner takes us to Cardinal Nation.

“It’s like you get to boost someone else and that kind of boosts you as well,” said Paige Williams, WCHS Senior.

Helping others has been a big focus since Paige Williams started at Webb City High School nearly four years ago.

“We do the blood drive. My junior year we did go to Watered Gardens.”

Helping to feed the homeless. There’s also the Christmas toy drive. But her favorite way to help others is through the Special Olympics.

“We just get to have a buddy and go with them while they’re doing their events throughout the day and kind of just give them a whole day. That’s all about them. Like their chauffeur. And we just get to spend the whole day with them. And that’s just a really big deal to me,” she said.

Paige adds it’s all about those athletes.

“Just getting to make someone feel like they are worth something um because everybody is worth something but I don’t think everybody knows that.”

In fact, she encourages others to find their own way to help.

“It gives you a good chance to get a feel around and everything and make a lot of connections with people that you probably didn’t know before. It’s like taking the chance to know someone’s name, ask them how their day is going – and that’s a really big thing for me,” Paige said.

Webb City teacher Stephany Kelley says Paige is a great fit for the Golden Lion Award.

“She’s a gem, i’d like to replicate her over and over and over. She’s very positive, she’s an overcomer. Um she is going to persevere through anything. And she’s, like all kids she’s dealt with some tough things but her attitude is what makes the difference,” said Kelley.

Paige is looking ahead to her career, hoping to go into allergy immunology.

“I’m going to southern for the first four years and then transferring to medical school wherever that may be. I did get into the Honors Program at Southern so I’ll be a part of that,” said Paige.