Published on Oct. 17, 2026
Every year during the closing ceremony for the Missouri Scholars Academy, a student is chosen to receive the Kevin Heisinger Community Service Memorial Award for their dedication to service. This year, the Academy awarded a scholar whose passion for service shines through in every aspect of their life.
This year’s winner is Manu McDowell!
McDowell at the Academy
From the beginning of his MSA journey, McDowell placed intellectual curiosity and a commitment to service at the forefront of his experience. He took the major class “The Story of a Life,” taught by Chris Holmes and the minor “Who Am I: Selves and Society,” taught by Doug Valentine.
Interestingly, this is the second time McDowell has had Holmes as an instructor, having had him as a teacher at Wydown Middle School and Clayton High School in St. Louis. Despite this connection, McDowell’s main decision in choosing this class was that he craved the eye-opening experience of being able to capture someone’s life story in just three weeks’ time.
Before being nominated by his teachers and guidance counselor, McDowell arrived at MSA with some family history; his father had attended the Academy and encouraged him to apply.
“I learned about MSA from my dad, as he went when he was in high school; he insisted that I should apply, even though, at one point, I thought three weeks would be too long.”
Initially skeptical, McDowell reconsidered when he learned more about the Academy’s classes and opportunities for intellectual engagement beyond the classroom.
“I had judged it before even researching it,” McDowell said, “However, I also thought that the number of classes available and the intellectual stimulation outside of a classroom setting seemed to provide was interesting.”
After arriving at the Academy, McDowell quickly came to appreciate the everyday magic and extraordinary opportunities that MSA brought to life, taking part in a broad range of activities outside of class times. Each afternoon activity held something new to behold.
“One day, I was learning about Victorian-era funerals, and the next, I was learning about humanoid robots. I also loved meeting new people from all around Missouri, and everyone was extremely nice.”
Beyond his classes and activities, McDowell made it a mission to volunteer with a variety of organizations that Community Service Coordinator Kelsey Tolchin-Kupferer organized throughout the three weeks. He stocked shelves at the Food Bank, helped contribute to removing 700 lbs. of trash from Flat Branch Creek, crafted thank-you cards for veterans, and cut down invasive honeysuckles at Columbia Montessori School.
For McDowell, service is much more than fulfilling a requirement.
“Community service means doing things for others when you do not have to, for no monetary or material benefit. Service isn’t focusing on getting your volunteer hours for some organization or school; it’s constantly looking to make the world a better place through being someone that people can count on, advocating to solve issues in your community, and simply being kind,” said McDowell.
Tolchin-Kupferer shares the same commitment to community engagement, having organized a variety of community service events at MSA. Scholars had the opportunity to build part of a playground, play games and the piano with residents at a senior center, stock freezers at the Food Bank, pick up litter with the City of Columbia, and clean up garbage along the Flat Branch Creek.
At the MSA Closing Ceremony, Tolchin-Kupferer praised McDowell for his integrity, empathy, thoughtfulness and compassion. Other faculty echoed that assessment.
“When asked about this scholar, one faculty member said, ‘He is the kind of student who is always doing the right thing,’” Kuperfer shared.
Another described him as simply “the very best of young men.’”
Service in St. Louis
McDowell’s dedication to service is evident throughout his life in St. Louis.
Outside of MSA, McDowell has volunteered with KidSmart, an organization that provides school supplies to teachers in need, where he helps with cleaning and organization in the warehouse and distributing supplies. He also volunteers with the Red Cross as a Blood Donor Ambassador, greeting and checking in donors at various blood drives.
His dedication to his community carries over into his other volunteer service as a Court Watcher for ArchCity Defenders, a legal advocacy organization in STL. He goes to hearings at various courts around St. Louis, such as St. Louis City Municipal Court and observe dockets to see how judges are behaving and treating defendants. He submits reports of his findings to ArchCity Defenders who evaluate whether they should investigate the judge.
Among his volunteer commitments, McDowell finds meaning in his work as a crises hotline worker with Kids Under Twenty-One (KUTO), an organization providing support to young people who struggle with mental health, trauma, and abuse. In this position, he provides an outlet for people to call him and discuss their hardships – those who may not feel comfortable discussing them with adults or others they know.
“I love doing it because I like listening to people, but I’m often very emotional when reflecting upon the calls I’ve gotten.”
McDowell encourages other young people to get involved by identifying issues they care about and finding organizations working to address them. He also believes they can create initiatives of their own and invite others to participate.
“Personally, I’m passionate about legal advocacy, educational equality, and teen mental health, so I found organizations that are working to solve those issues.”
In the future, McDowell plans to go to a four-year university to study political science, government, and/or economics. After that, he hopes to go to law school.
Congratulations to Manu McDowell! The Missouri Scholars Academy is proud to recognize his commitment to making a difference in the lives of others!
Fun Fact About McDowell
“One fun fact that others may not know about me is that I read all of the Harry Potter books before I turned 10. I was an avid reader in elementary school,” said Manu.