What is the Hometown Hero Award?
The Hometown Hero Award is a special honor presented annually to a Bremen High School senior who demonstrates exceptional commitment to serving the local community—particularly through participation in the Bremen Food Drive and documented acts of community service.
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This is not a scholarship based on grades or test scores. It’s an award that recognizes character, selflessness, and leadership through service. The award celebrates those who choose to give back—those who live their lives in service to others.
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Since its founding, nine students have received the Hometown Hero Award. In 2024, two recipients shared the honor. Some past winners have pursued college, while others joined the military—like Katie Dolbeer (Class of 2023), who joined the Army, and R.J. Castaneda (Class of 2024), who became a Marine.
How the Hometown Hero Award Began—and Got Its Name
The Hometown Hero Award was established in 2017, the year Terry Stephens retired after a 42-year teaching career—32 of those years spent at Bremen High School. When his children—Erin, Jeff, and Amy, all Bremen alumni—asked what he wanted as a retirement gift, Terry said he would love to see a Bremen student recognized for their service to the community. In response, his children came together to fund the first award—a $3,000 scholarship—which was presented to Cheyenne Moore. Inspired by the impact of that first award, Terry has continued to personally fund it every year since.
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By 2025, Terry took steps to ensure the award’s future by forming a nonprofit organization, Bremen Hometown Hero, Inc., with a small team of supporters. They’ve applied for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and are planning a fundraiser on September 20, 2025, at Gaelic Park, aiming to raise $100,000 so that future awards can be funded through investment income.
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The name “Hometown Hero” has a personal backstory. Terry was a patient of Dr. Joseph O’Donnell, a local dentist, from the time Dr. O’Donnell opened his practice until he retired. Through years of regular visits and conversation, the two became good friends. Dr. O’Donnell once asked if he could include Terry’s name in a book he was writing about his approach to community-based dentistry. On the very first page, Dr. O’Donnell wrote:
“Dr. O’Donnell wanted to be a Hometown Hero of dentistry.”
This phrase stuck with Terry. When his children proposed naming the award “Hometown Hero” in honor of that idea, Terry felt it sounded a little too grand—but his kids insisted, and the name stuck. The Hometown Hero Award now stands as a tribute not only to Terry’s legacy of service, but also to the values of humility, consistency, and community care that inspired it.
Why it matters.
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Service Areas:
San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda, San Mateo
500 Terry Francine Street San Francisco, CA 94158
The Hometown Hero Award isn’t just about recognition—it’s about reinforcing the value of service and inspiring the next generation to lead with heart. It honors students who show up for their community, not for applause, but because it’s the right thing to do. As it grows, the award continues to carry forward Terry Stephens’ legacy and the spirit of giving that makes Bremen stronger—one Hometown Hero at a time.​
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