|
 |
Elizabeth Horner with Leo Cabrera-Lim, Philippine Consul General during
the award night held at Hyatt Regency O’Hare, August 27.
Horner receives
award, gains new audiences
Greenville Senior High School student Elizabeth Horner has been saying
“wow” often lately with good reasons to feel triumphant. She
summarizes her thoughts and feelings this way... “Wow, I can’t believe
that this is happening. Wow, I feel honored. Wow, I hope I can
live up to everybody’s expectations.”
What’s the recent news? Elizabeth Horner received an e-mail from Daly
City, CA from the U.S. Director of Sales of INQUIRER.net, Esther Chavez
that reads in part “I myself am floored and delighted by the respect
our editors have given you.” Ms. Chavez noted that “you are placed
together with respected heavy hitting opinion writers”. INQUIRER.net has 2.9 million unique visitors and 30 million page views
per month.
“Wow, I’m featured alongside impressive writers” Horner exclaimed as
she checked out a few names like those of Solita Collas-Monsod. “I
don’t know what to say”.
Horner has received feedback from readers across the country. One
of them from Arlington, VA recently wrote in response to Horner’s
article, A Chapter in My Life, “It’s magical! I’ve not read Harry
Potter, thinking it was best reserved for my grandchildren and because
I had narrowed my reading material to what I thought mattered most at
this stage in my life -- retirement. But your article seemed to
nudge, no kick me on my side, saying, “Hey, try Harry Potter...you may
yet discover new worlds... you may yet be inspired to take up another
adventure... so that I will do. If Harry Potter released such passion
in your young mind -- and deepened further you love for writing....
What would it do to a senior’s mind that’s been shaped by its long past
and trained by habit…”
This young daughter of Darke County also received the “GP Golden Seed
Award” (Dr. Jose Rizal, Philippine National Hero, Hope of the Future
Award) held at Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Chicago on August 27, presented
by Yoly Tubalinal, Publisher and Executive Editor of MegaScene, a
sister publication of Philippine Time-USA News and People Magazine.
Also at hand to present the award was Philippine Consul General Leo
Herrera-Lim. The day following the award night, Horner was
officially conferred as R3 Youth Chair of NaFFAA and she will be
addressing delegates from R3’s nine states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Ohio) during a
3 day conference in Iowa on October 7-9. She will speak on issues
related to “Youth Empowerment”.
Horner’s global articles like “Are the youth today in Diaspora?”
contain references to Darke County; her mentor(s), and Annie
Oakley. “I will never forget Darke County, my hometown, wherever
life takes me”.
Here is Horner’s speech and message during the award ceremony
Growing up, I had this collection of books featuring the childhood of
famous Americans. The characters described in those books were
like my friends---George Washington, Thomas Edison, Walt Disney, Annie
Oakley and so many others, became remarkable in my eyes, not because of
what they accomplished as adults, but rather, how they were portrayed
as kids. Curious, determined, they learned to overcome
adversities in life in a positive way, applying their inner skills and
talents. Indeed, they were great stories of courage and
perseverance.
It may be hard to imagine sometimes that these young people destined to
be President of the United States or the Wizard of Menlo Park, or world
renowned star of the Buffalo Bill’s Wild West, had their fair share of
scraped knees, insecurities, arguments with adults and hardships or
harsh conditions to overcome --- JUST LIKE YOU AND ME!
A lot of times Moms and Dads tell us “you can be anything you want to
be darling” and we nod our heads, though not really believing it.
It is time to break through that mindset. At the same time, some
kids may have dreams that some adults or peers may reject or dispense
of as something far-fetched. I believe that given the opportunity
to discover our inner skills and talents and given the right
motivation, and support --- any one of us, ANY ONE OF US, could become
the next subject of a biography!
Our generation will be responsible for filling the vacancies left by
our predecessors --- The great doctors, lawyers, singers, writers, and
even President of the United States! I hope that we do it
admirably. I believe that it is humanity’s natural instinct to be
constantly churning out new stars that will push the boundaries of
impossibility farther and farther back. Each new group becomes
the hope for the future because they will have the chance to learn from
the lessons of the past --- to shape a fairer, safer, and better world.
In connection with the event, I read about another great person, Dr.
Jose Rizal. Dr. Rizal often spoke of the youth as the hope of the
future. Dr. Rizal used the “power of the pen” from a very young
age until his death to promote social justice. In accepting the “Golden
Seed Award” (Dr. Jose Rizal’s Hope of the Future award) I take with it
the responsibility to promote his chosen virtues.
But this is not a doctrine for one person, one group, or even one
generation to live by. It is meant to be passed on and shared with
generations to come. I promise to do my part, and my very best to
be a positive force. Undoubtedly, you and I, being human will
make some mistakes, but like Annie Oakley said, only “practice,
practice, practice” --- of doing your very best and learning how to
overcome mistakes, obstacles and failures in life will allow you to
“hit the bull’s eye of success”!
|
|
|
|
