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For Alana Alexander, being chosen as one of Monticello’s “12 Under 12” students is more than recognition — it’s an opportunity to share a message she hopes others will carry with them.
A ninth-grade student in the Monticello School District, Alexander is known by peers and teachers alike for her empathy, resilience, and desire to help others. But behind her bright personality is a journey shaped by living with sickle cell disease, a genetic blood disorder she has managed since birth.
“I was born with sickle cell anemia,” Alexander said. “I was lucky enough to know that I had it and get the proper medications for it.”
Sickle cell disease affects red blood cells and can cause pain, fatigue and other complications, particularly when the body is exposed to extreme temperatures. For Alexander, that means carefully managing her environment and health.
“I can’t stay outside in the sun for that long because I do get overheated,” she explained. “If I don’t take my medicine, I can get sick.”
Despite the physical challenges, Alexander has embraced her condition as part of her story — and increasingly, as a platform to encourage others.
“I just hope that if they’re struggling with any type of disease, they can get the medications that they need and the support that they can get,” she said. “And I hope they’re not ashamed of anything that they have going on.”
That message comes from experience. Alexander said there was a time when she felt embarrassed about her diagnosis, especially when others didn’t understand what she was going through.
“Everybody would kind of make jokes about it,” she said. “They would think I was being lazy, but I couldn’t really do anything.”
Today, she approaches those moments with a maturity beyond her years, choosing empathy over anger.
“Sometimes I just let it slide off my back,” Alexander said. “You never know what someone else is going through.”
That perspective defines much of who she is — a self-described “helper” who wants to make others feel seen, supported and understood.
“That’s my whole goal in life, just to be a helpful person,” she said.
Alexander’s ambitions reflect that goal. She hopes to one day become either a child psychologist or a criminal defense attorney, careers she believes would allow her to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.
“As a child psychologist, I would want to help kids out in need,” she said. “I want to be someone people can confide in and trust.”
As a future attorney, she said she would like to help individuals rebuild their lives.
“I would like to help people get back on their feet,” she said.
Outside the classroom, Alexander stays active in her community through Brooks Chapel Baptist Church, where she participates in service activities and outreach efforts. She also spends time helping elderly neighbors with small tasks such as taking out trash or raking leaves.
In quieter moments, she enjoys reading and writing short stories, often inspired by the true crime content she watches online. Recently, she has read classics such as To Kill a Mockingbird and The Outsiders.
Her involvement in FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) has also played a role in shaping her outlook. Attending a recent convention broadened her perspective and introduced her to peers who share similar goals.
“It really changed my views on things,” Alexander said. “I realized there are more people like me who want to do good.”
Family remains at the center of her journey. Alexander credits her mother, Tyler Burks, along with her grandparents, Erma and Otis Burks, for providing the support system that has helped her thrive.
“Family means everything to me,” she said. “I don’t think I would be here right now without them.”
She also shares a close bond with her older brother, who is just one year ahead of her in school — and even shares the same birthday.
Alexander says her focus is on being a safe place for others — someone friends can trust, confide in and lean on when needed.
“I want people to know they can always come to me,” she said. “I just want to be a good person.”
For Alexander, that simple goal carries profound meaning. It is reflected in her daily actions, her long-term ambitions and the way she chooses to navigate both challenges and opportunities.
And as she continues her journey, she hopes her story will encourage others — especially those facing their own struggles — to seek help, embrace who they are and never feel alone.
