By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff writer

About a week and a half ago, I moved almost 1,000 miles from where I grew up to Shelby County to work as a Staff Writer for the Shelby County Reporter. My dad and I packed up my car, and we made the 15-hour drive from Manhattan to my new home in Hoover.

After 22 years of living in New York City, Shelby County, Ala., is definitely a change. I am used to living with more than 8 million people on a 22 square mile island. Now I find myself surrounded by space and beautiful land, and so far I have loved every minute of it.

In my less than two weeks here, I have been to town meetings, visited Valley Elementary School and hiked in Oak Mountain State Park. I have been introduced to a diverse and passionate group of people, and I am excited to learn more about my new home.

One of the first stories I wrote was about the literary program started by a group of 13 students from Riverchase Middle School. These students were inspired to make a difference in their community, and through research, determination and compassion, they reached out to mentor students at Valley Elementary School.

These 13 middle school students successfully launched a program to foster a life-long love of reading among young students, especially those who may not have access to age-level books at home. I believe actions like this speak volumes about a community. It shows a deep commitment to community and a willingness to help others.

I am so thrilled to live here in Shelby County among such a strong community of people. I look forward to getting to know everyone here and am eager to learn as much as I can. Please feel free to reach out to me with any story ideas, or just to say hi at molly.davidson@ shelbycountyreporter.com.

Molly Davidson is a staff writer for the Shelby County Reporter. She can be reached at 669-3131 ext. 24 or by email at Molly.Davidson@shelbycountyreporter. com.