NEWS BRIEFS

Horizon West resident Grace Drummond hopes to become the youngest contestant to win the Miss Florida Teen USA crown.

Drivers Needed For Food Delivery

Southeastern Food Bank is looking for drivers to deliver boxes of food to 1,000 families in need in West Orange County. The deliveries will be made from 7 to 11 a.m. Saturday, April 15, and drivers will meet at West Orlando Baptist Church, 1006 E. Crown Point Road, Ocoee.

The program is organized by Southeastern Food Bank; Food for Families has provided food for needy families for 31 years.

Volunteers have sorted and packed 1,300 banana boxes of food, totaling more than 50 pallets weighing 40 tons, that will be delivered to the local homes. Each family will receive a box plus two bags of items including produce and baked goods. The food is donated by Publix and Kroger.

Volunteers are asked to sign up at southeasternfoodbank.com/ events but can show up even if they haven’t registered.

Ocoee Fire To Host Open House

The Ocoee Fire Rescue Department will host an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at Station 25, 563 S. Bluford Ave.

Attendees can see all the fire vehicles, meet Ocoee’s firefighters and take a tour of the fire station. The event also will include games; raffle prizes; and food, such as hot dogs, chips, popcorn, cotton candy and sno-cones.

Ucp Hires New Principal

UCP West Orange Charter School has announced the hire of a new principal.

The new principal will replace former principal Tom Brickel, who resigned from his position due to the pressure of his job responsibilities, a statement that differs from what the school told the Observer less than a month ago.

Sean Mikels will serve as the new principal for the school.

“The education leadership team interviewed a number of candidates and then some of the teachers/paraprofessionals and campus leadership joined us in interviewing our final selection,” the school told parents in an email.

young to enter, Grace’s experience watching Alyssa Racquel Hill participate ultimately set her on her journey to the preteen competition. In 2021, she earned the title of Miss Preteen Florida USA and advanced to the Miss Preteen USA competition.

“I was extremely nervous, because it was my very first pageant … but I pulled it together, and I went in and held my head high,” Grace said. “I went in there thinking I would (go) just for the experience. The last day, we worked hard throughout the week, practiced long days. … I went into the interview room, six judges were throwing me questions.

“I get out of the interview room with the biggest smile on my face; I thought I did so well,” she said. She earned a spot in the top five and ultimately won the crown. She spent the next year attending photo shoots and making appearances.

“I went on this whole journey from tomboy to princess,” she said.

When Grace isn’t working on her pageantry passion, she is cheering as a side base for the J-Dub team at Top Gun Orlando in Ocoee. Her cheer team has competed all over the country and is getting ready for several competitions in the next few weeks.

She also does volunteer work at

Courtesy photo her church, The Center Arena, and at charity events through Nathaniel’s Hope and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Grace is a freshman taking honors and Advanced Placement classes at Windermere High School. She hopes to attend Harvard Medical School and become an anesthesiologist.

“I have tried everything under the sun with helping people,” Grace said. “If I can give my love to people who need it and want it, I feel like that would be a very good opportunity for me to be a doctor.”

Mikels will join the school with past experience as a principal, assistant principal and an ASD/ Autism teacher, according to UCP. School officials said Mikels will join the team at the end of May.

Rotary Rolls With Toilet Paper Drive

The Horizon West Rotary Club is collecting toilet paper to benefit Eight Waves. The club is hoping to round up 2,000 rolls from local community members.

Collection will take place at the next club meeting on Wednesday, April 19. Those who wish to turn in donations can call (407) 4519738.

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.”

Friedrich Hayek

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