She endured great loss but kept giving back. Now her big heart has earned special honor

Semahj Ware wakes up early to help her grandmother prepare her two younger siblings for school at University Academy in Kansas City. A ninth-grader, she attends classes, hangs out with friends and dreams about life after high school.

It’s when the final bell rings that Ware’s life takes a turn. When most classmates go home to spend the evening gaming, doing homework or attending sports practice. Ware, 14, heads to Operation Breakthrough, a nonprofit education and social services center at 3039 Troost.

She heads straight for the culinary zone. There, she’ll spend the next 60 to 90 minutes chopping vegetables for the basketball team, canning jam or teaching a baking class to younger kids alongside Operation Breakthrough’s “Mr. Dominique” — human resources director and management counselor Dominique Campbell.

Ware probably spends the same number of hours per week at Operation Breakthrough that she’d otherwise devote to a part-time job. She’s giving up part of her childhood to help other children in need to learn life skills necessary to succeed in the 21st century.

It’s an effort from the heart — and an effort that was warmly recognized when Ware received a Sunday night Facetime call from U.S. Women’s National Team star Lindsey Horan, informing her she’d been named U.S. Soccer’s “SheBelieves Hero.”

Triumph from tragedy

When Ware was just 12, she received news no child should have to hear. Her mother, Victoria, had died in a car crash.

Ware and her siblings moved in with their grandmother and transferred to University Academy. To relieve further stress on their grandma in an already hectic situation, Ware started going to Operation Breakthrough after school.

“The mission statement is to provide a safe, nurturing, educational environment for children in poverty and to empower their parents through advocacy, education and emergency services,” said Mary Esselman, president and CEO of Operation Breakthrough.

In a smart-looking conference room at Operation Breakthrough’s two-story, two-building facility, The Star met recently with Esselman, development assistant Elisabeth Schumacher and Ware, who covered her face with her hands and smiled when asked about being the 2020 SheBelieves Hero recipient.

While it’s an important fact that Ware won the national contest and will travel to New Jersey in March to watch the USWNT take on Spain at Red Bull Arena, it’s her journey to becoming the winner that makes her story so notable.

Ware arrived at Operation Breakthrough soon after her mother’s passing and faced the task of finding her place at a facility that helps break cycles of poverty and provides educational space for nearly 700 KC children.

The several zones at Operation Breakthrough allow children to identify their passion alongside their peers.

“My passion, or what I like to do, is cook, so I help out with the culinary arts section and I’ll help Mr. Dominique prepare,” Ware said.

Operation Breakthrough offers a space for children as young as 6 months up to 14 years old. When they turn 14, they can begin to volunteer and become role models for others.

“When Mr. Dominique can’t always be the teacher, I’ll help and step in,” Ware said. “Show one kid how to do this, or if someone is doing something wrong, I’ll show them the right way and let them do it for themselves. ... Everyone just has a good time.”

Volunteering to such an extent isn’t something Ware decided to do on the spot. It’s a culture and way of living she’s grown into, and a legacy that her mother has left long after her passing.

“She taught me to do something great, to make a change,” Ware said. “She kind of opened my eyes to wanting someone to remember my name if I pass, and that doing this is not for a golden reward or anything — it’s just for you to hold on, or for someone else to hold onto who’s learned or developed from what I’ve given to them.”

Anticipation builds

Ware sat waiting for two hours Sunday night.

A small crowd including her grandmother and Schumacher had already worked through the burritos served for dinner. Now, she was left to stew as she awaited results of the contest.

Ware was one of five finalists chosen by the SheBelieves Hero Selection Committee. Contest organizers sought out stories of perseverance and leadership involving young women around the country.

When Schumacher learned of the competition, the person who immediately came to mind was Ware.

“She just exemplifies everything that it means to be a SheBelieves Hero,” Schumacher said. “And she has told me how much she loves soccer but never had the opportunity to play, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, if she could meet these women who inspired her so much through the summer when we were watching the World Cup, that would just be incredible.’”

Schumacher created a 60-second video that captured why Ware deserved to win the competition. Put to a vote via social media, the KC community rallied to give Ware the opportunity of a lifetime.

Ware loves playing soccer but has never had the opportunity to join a club team, and her school doesn’t offer soccer, either. When she was younger, her father would encourage her to practice in the yard. It’s something she’s continued to do as she’s grown older.

When the phone rang Sunday night and Horan’s face appeared on the screen, she knew it could only mean one thing.

“I could not stop laughing, and we were all laughing and jumping around and singing — we were all excited,” Ware said. “It was a really joyful moment.”

Next stop: NYC

Schumacher will accompany Ware to New York City for the USWNT game; her grandmother must remain at home with Ware’s two younger siblings. The pair will visit some of New York’s iconic landmarks, of course, but the city holds a more personal place in Ware’s heart: She dreams of opening a home bakery there.

“I said I wanted to do it in New York because it’s a really big place, and if you do great things you’ll get really promoted to big things,” she said. “I want to start in New York, and if I can, I want to improve my business.”

The day before the game, Ware gets to go behind the scenes and meet the whole national team. She’s especially excited to meet her favorite player, Horan, and reigning women’s world player of the year Megan Rapinoe. During the game, Ware will be seated near the home team’s bench.

Some in KC have reached out to her ahead of her big trip, offering a suitcase or anything else Ware might need for this journey of a lifetime.

“I was feeling really loved and cared for,” Ware said. “But especially I really appreciate the support and love from my people in Kansas City.”

This story was originally published February 28, 2020 at 4:07 PM.