Ava Marie Musci of Liverpool, New York, started a lemonade stand at age 8 to support childhood cancer research. Ten years later, she has raised $22,000 for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, funding 450 hours of research. Her initiative has also received support from local businesses and organisations. She has now been named among 20 students honoured at the 2026 Best and Brightest Awards in Central New York.