NFHS
The NFHS has selected Eden Coppersmith, a senior at Paxton High School in Nebraska, as the recipient of the 2025 National High School Heart of the Arts Award.
The National High School Heart of the Arts Award was conceptualized by the NFHS in 2014 to honor individuals who exemplify the ideals of the positive heart of the arts and represent the core mission of education-based activities.
Eden Coppersmith's story is one of remarkable resilience and determination. Born with selective mutism and Spina Bifida, Eden faced significant challenges from a young age. Her journey began with a single word – word that felt like an impossible leap. By fifth grade, she managed only three words in class the entire year. In sixth grade, her voice disappeared entirely. It wasn’t that Eden didn’t want to speak; her heart longed to be heard, but her mind refused to let her.
Despite her silence, Eden sought connection in various ways. She joined a youth group, played the flute, managed the volleyball team and competed in track events using her wheelchair. Art, however, was her true passion. Her talent earned her ribbons at local shows, including two first-place awards. Yet, no matter how much she accomplished, the isolation of being “the girl in the wheelchair who doesn’t talk” weighed heavily. Very few people ever heard her voice.
Among those few was her speech coach – someone Eden trusted because of her unlikely friendship with the coach’s daughter. One day, Eden shared an extraordinary goal: she wanted to join the speech team. She no longer wanted to be defined by her silence. She wanted to be heard. The coach admired Eden’s courage but knew the obstacles. She had never spoken in class, let alone in front of an audience. Still, Eden was determined.
Her first speech, about Spina Bifida, tackled the condition that kept her in a wheelchair. But her wheelchair wasn’t her greatest challenge – her silence was. The first two meets came and went without her speaking a word. By the third meet, Eden rolled forward when the judge called her number. She opened her mouth and spoke. Her voice was so soft it was nearly inaudible, but she spoke. Her coach held back tears, knowing the enormity of what Eden had just achieved.
That first year, Eden consistently finished last. Her volume was too low, and she rushed through her speeches. But she kept going. Slowly, her confidence grew. She began speaking to a few classmates, and her progress became noticeable. With help from her school’s resource educator, Eden entered Nebraska’s first Unified Speech Event and performed at state. Using a microphone, she shared about her journey at a summer camp for children with disabilities, bringing several mothers of selectively mute children to tears. She gave them hope they hadn’t felt in years.
Her junior year, Eden wrote a speech about selective mutism and performed a duet with her best friend. The two practiced tirelessly, even rehearsing in the freezing cold of an empty parking lot to help Eden project her voice. Their determination paid off. They earned 10th place at a meet, Eden’s first medal. Encouraged, she placed second with her individual speech at the next competition and became a vital part of her team, helping them secure victories at conferences and districts.
By her senior year, Eden was no longer just finding her voice for herself – she was using it to speak for others. Her persuasive speech focused on advocating for financial reforms for people with disabilities. She began speaking more during practices – and even in class. Her journey, once about overcoming silence, had transformed into a story of resilience and purpose. Eden proved that even the quietest voices can inspire change, starting with just one word.
About the Award
Along with the national recipient, six students and one performing arts educator were chosen by the NFHS National High School Heart of the Arts Award Selection Committee as section winners of the award. The 2025 National High School Heart of the Arts section honorees are listed below, accompanied by a brief description of their accomplishments.
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