Legendary civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?”

At just 17 years old, Emily Faith’s answer?

A lot.

The Kingfisher native was one of 379 people honored Monday at the state Capitol for her extensive volunteer work as she was named a NextGen Under 30 Award winner.

According to its website, “NextGen Under 30 recognizes individuals who demonstrate talent, drive and service to their communities.”

The group recognizes people in 20 different categories.

The daughter of Shelley and Chad Sanders, Faith was recognized for her work with non-profit organizations. She was nominated by

She was nominated by the Granville Community Music School, just one of the organizations that benefits from her willingness to give of her time.

“My parents taught me when I was little to always be humble and give back to my community in any way I could,” Faith said.

“Most of the time, I found that donating my talents was the best way because I could make people smile.” That’s because Faith’s

That’s because Faith’s talent lies in her singing voice.

From her first talent competition in Kingfisher at just 5 years old to the Opry circuit in Oklahoma and Texas to a nationwide tour with other acts, Faith is no stranger to performing.

All the while, she made sure to volunteer and donate her talents when possible.

“I decided I wanted to go a step further and give back to children in our state who haven’t had the opportunity to learn music,” she said. “That is when I became a volunteer at Granville.”

Associated with Rodeo Opry in Oklahoma City, Granville provides music instruction to the underprivileged in the state.

It charges just 50 cents per lesson. It also partners with Posi

It also partners with Positive Tomorrow’s, a school for homeless children, and Mission Academy High School, which caters to students battling substance abuse.

“Music is so beneficial to my kids because they don’t come from the best situations and it gives them a healthy, positive, and creative outlet to express what they’re feeling,” Faith said.

And her students aren’t the only ones benefiting. “My kids have taught me

“My kids have taught me never to take anything for granted and to stay positive, even when it feels like life is falling apart,” she said. The music school is just

The music school is just one of Faith’s volunteer efforts.

She is currently the president of the Children’s Hospital Foundation Teen Board, a teen representative for the American Heart Association and also volunteers for Go Red for Women OKC, the American Cancer Society and Folds of Honor.

“What drives me most is my students at Granville, the children receiving treatment at Children’s Hospital, the veterans involved with Folds of Honor, and the survivors of cancer and heart disease I work with at the American Cancer Society and AHA,” Faith said.

She wrote a song called “Write Your Own Story” in 2018 for the American Heart Association and its Go Red for Women campaign. “It was inspired by the

“It was inspired by the women I met who had faced heart problems and had to make life changes to keep living,” she said.

It was chosen as the campaign’s theme song for 2018.

Faith is still pursuing a career in country and Christian music.

“I’ve been traveling back and forth between Oklahoma and Nashville to continue songwriting and recording, and I am also staying very busy with shows,” she said.

However, music isn’t her only plan.

Currently a senior at Epic Charter School, Faith has been accepted into a number of colleges.

She said her top current choices are the University of Oklahoma, Oral Roberts University or Belmont University in Nashville.

She plans to study pre-law or pre-medicine during her undergraduate studies.

And sing.

“I fully intend to pursue a career path while also focusing on my music,” she said. And she’ll continue to do

And she’ll continue to do for others.

“Volunteering has become such a big part of my life because of people I work with and I believe it always will be,” she said.