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Photo by Jon Anderson
Hoover High School senior Nia Brown is congratulated by friends after she was named the winner of the 2025 Finley Award for outstanding character on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Members of the Hoover High School Class of 2025 who were nominated for the Finley Award for outstanding character stand in front of their peers during an assembly at the school on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Hoover High School senior Nia Brown says a few words after she was named the winner of the 2025 Finley Award for outstanding character on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. Watching behind her are her parents, Booker and Khalilah Brown.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Aimee George, chairwoman of the Finley Committee, speaks to students at Hoover High School about the late Berry High School coach Bob Finley on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Hoover High School senior Nia Brown is congratulated by her parents, Booker and Khalilah Brown, after she was named the winner of the 2025 Finley Award for outstanding character on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Members of the Hoover High School Class of 2025 who were nominated for the Finley Award for outstanding character stand in front of their peers during an assembly at the school on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Hoover High School senior Nia Brown is congratulated after she was named the winner of the 2025 Finley Award for outstanding character on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Hoover HIgh School senior Nia Brown poses for a photo with her parents, Booker and Khalilah Brown, after being named the 2025 recipient of the Finley Award for outstanding character on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Hoover High School senior Nia Brown is the 2025 winner of the Finley Award for outstanding character from all the seniors at her school on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Hoover HIgh School senior Nia Brown poses for a photo with her principal, Jennifer Hogan, after being named the 2025 recipient of the Finley Award for outstanding character on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Members of the Hoover High School Class of 2025 who were nominated for the Finley Award for outstanding character stand in front of their peers during an assembly at the school on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Kelly Smitherman of the Strength to Stand Institute shares with the Hoover High School senior class about the meaning of character on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Hoover High School senior Nia Brown is congratulated by her parents, Booker and Khalilah Brown, after she was named the winner of the 2025 Finley Award for outstanding character on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Hoover High School senior Nia Brown says a few words after she was named the winner of the 2025 Finley Award for outstanding character on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Kelly Smitherman of the Strength to Stand Institute shares with the Hoover High School senior class about the meaning of character on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Members of the Hoover High School Class of 2025 who were nominated for the Finley Award for outstanding character.
Hoover school officials and the Finley Committee on Friday announced Nia Brown as the winner of the 2025 Finley Award for outstanding character among the 700 or so seniors at Hoover High School.
The announcement was made in an assembly of the senior class in the school’s competition gym.
People who nominated Brown for the award commented in nomination letters about how well-rounded she is.
She is president of the Student Government Association and a member of the Ignite Hoover Youth Leadership Program, Hoover City Schools Foundation Student Board, powerhouse Hoover girls basketball team and The Worship Center Christian Church youth ministry and volunteer program.
She also has shown diligence in her academics, maintaining an impressive GPA while excelling in rigorous Advanced Placement and dual enrollment courses, nominator Mo Finley said.
She has been inducted into several honor societies and received awards from the National Society for High School Scholars and Duke Talent Identification Program and won the Golden Gavel award for outstanding Law Academy students.
But this award focuses on character, and nominators were full of compliments about Brown’s character.
“Nia is very compassionate, committed, selfless, teachable and influential,” wrote Monica Patton, the “next generation” coordinator at The Worship Center Christian Church. “As an Ambassador [at her church], she often led her peers through challenging discussions and service projects while building and maintaining positive relationships. Nia is committed to getting the job done with excellence and encouraging those around her along the way. Her servant’s heart has often been the gateway for many leadership opportunities within her community.”
Photo by Jon Anderson
Hoover High School senior Nia Brown is congratulated by her parents, Booker and Khalilah Brown, after she was named the winner of the 2025 Finley Award for outstanding character on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.
Brown’s infectious personality is a magnet for everyone she encounters, Patton wrote. “She often brings groups of people together from diverse backgrounds and thought approaches to effectively accomplish a goal,” Patton wrote. “She is committed to teamwork and prides herself on learning from others.”
Terri Coleman, the lead counselor for Hoover City Schools, wrote in a letter that she has observed Brown throughout her life.
“From an early age, I remember her sweet spirt and desire to help others,” Coleman wrote. “She grew up in the church and began working with the children in the kids’ ministry, then once old enough she secured a job in the nursery at another church. This is a tiny example of her love for children and helping others.”
Brown also has volunteered countless hours at homeless shelters, toiletry drives, food banks, youth basketball campus and golf tournaments, Coleman said.
“Nia is truly a remarkable young lady with peers who truly look up to her,” Coleman wrote. “She is humble, kind, respectful and genuine. … She is not loud or boisterous, but a quiet and thoughtful leader who leads and supports her classmates, her friends and teammates.”
Mo Finley, who has trained Brown in basketball for several years, said Brown has a unique blend of talent and determination.
“Over the course of the past few years, Nia has demonstrated extraordinary discipline, resilience and grit to become a valued member of one of the best girls basketball programs in the state,” Finley wrote. “Her commitment to excellence and teamwork is part of the reason she was named the captain of her JV basketball team. Nia’s amazing work ethic and team spirit has earned the respect of her peers and the entire Lady Bucs staff.”
Hoover High Principal Jennifer Hogan said Brown was one of more than 40 seniors nominated for Hoover High’s Finley Award this year.
Photo by Jon Anderson
Hoover HIgh School senior Nia Brown poses for a photo with her principal, Jennifer Hogan, after being named the 2025 recipient of the Finley Award for outstanding character on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.
The Finley Award is the highest character award given at the school, she said. “It represents the values we hold dear and honors a student who has consistently shown respect, responsibility and a commitment to making a difference in the lives of others,” Hogan said. “At Hoover High, we believe that who you are is just as important as what you accomplish.”
Aimee George, chairwoman of the Finley Committee, noted that the award is named after the late Berry High School coach Bob Finley, a man revered as a person of integrity who gave of his life in service to others. He was a man who would say hello to everyone he passed in the hallway, who built up other people instead of tearing them down, who saw value in every person and who stayed late after games to clean up the gym or football field.
Kelly Smitherman of the Strength to Stand Institute, told Hoover’s seniors that being a person of strong character is all about making a distinctive, positive mark on the people around them.
“It’s all about your choices,” Smitherman said. “You make hundreds and thousands of choices a day. … You’ve got an opportunity every day because you interact with these people to your left and your right, behind you, in front of you, with your faculty, with your staff, with your parents. You all have an opportunity to make a choice that day to leave a mark. What mark are you going to leave? What choice will you make in that moment? Is it a selfish mark, or is it one that’s selfless? One that tears down or one that builds up? One that makes somebody’s day better or one that makes somebody’s day worse?”
He left the students with a quote from a friend about decision making: “Decision making may be driven out of momentary desires rather than long-term goals or rational thinking, leading to poor choices or regrettable actions.”
He encouraged students to take the alternate path.
Photo by Jon Anderson
Members of the Hoover High School Class of 2025 who were nominated for the Finley Award for outstanding character stand in front of their peers during an assembly at the school on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.
Brown said she considers receiving the Finley Award a huge honor. “This is so incredible. I am so surprised,” she said.
Brown said she is still visiting college and weighing her options for life after high school, with some of her top choices including Duke, Alabama, LSU and North Carolina A&T. She wants to major in political science and become a lawyer, she said.
Read about the Finley Award winner from Spain Park High School soon on this website. That winner was announced Friday as well.
School officials and the Finley Committee also announced the Finley Award winner from among all Hoover City Schools employees on Wednesday. Read about the faculty winner here.
