Hoover High senior K.J. Law named 2023 Finley Award winner for character

The Finley Committee, a group of Hoover community members that promote outstanding character, today announced K.J. Law as the winner of the 2023 Finley Award for Hoover High School.

Law, a senior who plans to attend Tuskegee University and play football and study business there, was chosen from among 35 seniors nominated for the Finley Award this year.

The award has been given annually since 1996 in honor of the late Berry High School Coach Bob Finley to one Hoover City Schools employee and one senior at each of Hoover’s high schools.

The committee is looking for people who set high standards for themselves, assume responsibilities over those normally expected, exemplify quiet leadership, encourage the best in others, possess an outstanding work ethic, have genuine concern for others, are respected by others and respect others, have a humble manner, are honest in all their dealings and committed to their organizations, are considerate of others and set a positive example for both young people and adults.

Rebecca Mercer, a finance teacher who teaches Law in advanced accounting and who nominated him for the Finley Award, said that while Law is not an obvious leader, she could tell immediately by observing him that he was a quiet leader.

“All of his classmates just look to him and watch what he does, and they follow,” Mercer said. “He is really that guiding light for his classmates.”

Also, she teaches more than 100 students, and Law is the only one who every day asks her how her day is going when he walks into her classroom and wishes her a good day on his way out.

“He is so caring and kind, and that’s just the type of kid we need to honor,” she said. “As a coach, I know the dedication it takes to be a student-athlete at Hoover, and he never complains and is always on time and does all the right things. He’s an incredible kid.”

Law said he is honored to be selected for this prestigious award and thanked God and his family for helping him become the person he is today and his teachers for seeing something in him and believing in him.

“I will work hard to continue Coach Finley’s legacy and inspire others to do the same,” he said.

Law is a two-sport athlete, having played wide receiver for the Hoover football team and now playing in the outfield for the school’s baseball team.

Hoover High Athletics Director Andy Urban said being a two-sport athlete is very time-consuming and not something every student-athlete has the commitment to do, but Law is not the average student and has an outstanding work ethic.

Urban said a teacher who nominated Law for the Finley Award noted that while Law does have to miss class for some games, he never misses assignments and stays on top of his work and communicates with his teachers at least a week in advance when he must miss class for athletics.

“This student is committed to Hoover academics as well as Hoover athletics and has an incredibly unique dedication among his peers,” Urban said.

Law is humble and never brings attention to himself, except in TikTok videos, Urban said.

Law was recognized today in an assembly of seniors in the school’s competition gym, as well as the other students nominated for the Finley Award this year.

The Finley Committee plans to announce the faculty and Spain Park winners of the Finley Award within the next week. A banquet honoring the Finley Award winners and other students from each Hoover school being recognized for good character this year is scheduled for March 23 at the Finley Center in the Hoover Metropolitan Complex.