Brandon/Winthrop
Monday-S Sund
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May 2021
Volume 16,
Issue 5
Ph: 657-2418
CELEBRATING 19 YEARS OF PUBLISHING P OSITIVE COMMUNIT Y NEWS
SCOUT AND CANCER SURVIVOR COMPLETES EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT
By Michelle Caceres
addition to raising $1,500 in monetary donations, The Home Depot donated all the lumber, Lowe’s donated all the paint and supplies and TMI Nursery donated the soil for the gardens. Life Scout Sean Covais completed his Eagle Scout project at Rotary’s Camp Florida in Riverview.
Osprey Observer 2109 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. Valrico, FL 33596
Sean said there were many lessons learned during the experience. “I learned that I can command a large group and I’m a better leader that I thought I was,” he said. In all, the experience was a positive one. To earn the Eagle Scout rank, the highest advancement rank in Scouting, a Boy Scout must fulfill requirements in the areas of leadership, service and outdoor skills. He (or she) advances through the ranks—Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life and Eagle—along the journey, earning a minimum of 21 merit badges, serving six months in a troop position of responsibility, taking part in a Scoutmaster conference and proposing, planning and carrying out leadership to others in a service project helpful to the community. For more information about the Scouting program, visit www.scouting.org.
By Kathy L. Collins
The 2021 Youth Excelmunity. It is a way for him lence and Achievement to show how thankful he is Awards (YEA! Awards) for being here in this land were given to six outof many opportunities.” standing students on The YEA! Awards cateMay 5 at the beginning of gories include Success Dethe regular Hillsborough spite Difficult Odds—overCounty Board of County coming personal difficulty Commissioners meetto attain success and make ing. Locally, Titus Thien a positive impact on othNguyen, a seventh-grade ers; Leadership—demonstudent at Burns Midstrating a positive impact dle School in Brandon, on others in an ongoing Titus Thien Nguyen, a sevreceived the award for endeavor such as sports, enth-grade student at Burns Success Despite Difficult academics or the arts; and Middle School, is the winner Odds. Volunteer or Community of this year’s Youth Excellence Titus was nominated and Achievement Awards (YEA! Service—allocating discreby his mother, Ngoc Hiep Awards) in the category of Success tionary time to help others Phan, who said, “It is an or completing a project Despite Difficult Odds. honor for Titus, and also that improves the commuour family, for him to be selected as the nity. recipient of this award in the category of For more information on the YEA! Success Despite Difficult Odds. Our fami- Awards, please visit www.HCFLGov.net/ ly moved to Florida from Vietnam in early YEA. 1990. Despite barriers, including language, family education and financial, Titus made a goal early on that he will finish college and pursue a career as either a brain surgeon or aerospace engineer.” Phan added, “His theory is: always work hard regardless of whatever obstacles might be ahead, overcome your fears and start loving and appreciating what is coming.” Titus is the only child of Phan and Quang Nguyen. He is in all advanced/accelerated classes and is receiving high school credits, holds a 4.0 GPA and has been on the Principal’s Honor Roll and Honor Roll. Titus has received awards for Citizenship, Perfect Attendance and Terrific Kid, and he has completed or competed in various activities, including STEM, coding, Battle of the Books, SLAM, a speech competition and Duke TIP. According to his mother, Titus wants to attend Bloomingdale High School and take college courses and then transfer to the University of South Florida. Phan said, “At one time, he struggled FIRST TEE TAMPA ................................PG 3 with writing, but with help, he overcame LIBRARY PRIZES ................................ PG 17 his fear and now loves and appreciates EYE ON BUSINESS....................PGS 21-22 writing. He loves school and in the near SPORTS ....................................................PG 30 future he wants to give back to the com-
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For some Life Scouts, deciding on a service project to complete to earn the Eagle Scout rank is the most challenging part of the assignment. For Scout Sean Covais, a member of Scout Troop 212 in Lutz, it was the easiest part of the project. Sean, who attended Rotary’s Camp Florida, a camp for kids with special needs, knew he wanted to give back to the place that has welcomed him every summer for more than a decade. Sean has plenty of challenges in his young life. He was diagnosed with cancer at just 2 years old—but is now in remission—is on the autism spectrum and has ADHD. He has persevered through all of his challenges. “It’s amazing to see his growth and come up with his own ideas and lead others,” said his mom, Holly Covais. Camp Director Liz Fields said the organization had one need (outdoor picnic tables) and two wants (raised gardens and directional signs). “Sean went above and beyond what we expected him to do,” said Fields. “We’re also naming one of the herb gardens ‘Connor’s Corner’ after a young man that just lost his battle with cancer.” Holly said the project couldn’t have been completed without the help from members of the community. “We are grateful for the companies that have donated to help make the project possible,” said Holly. In
LOCAL MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT RECEIVES YOUTH EXCELLENCE AND ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
06/01/2021