Copperas Cove titleholders named Texas Student Heroes
Special to the Leader-Press
There are five million public school students in Texas, and only 15 students in prekindergarten through high school who do an outstanding volunteer service that benefits their fellow students, schools, or their communities are honored each year as heroes.
One student from each of the 15 Texas State Board of Education districts is selected for the Texas Student Heroes Award.
This year, two Copperas Cove representatives, 2019 Five Hills Ambassador Briana Liles and 2019 Little Mister Five Hills Noah Spitzer, were selected for the honors based on their work with their pageant community service projects.
Liles raised $7,000 over the last two years to send children with alopecia to a camp hosted by the Children’s Alopecia Project.
“I raise money because it is a calling from my heart, something I am personally affected by, and I am truly passionate about helping,” Liles said. “I never expected recognition for it, especially since I did not even know I was nominated for the award. But, it does feel so good that the hard work I put in the last two years is noticed.
“Attending alopecia camp was so life changing to me and I want to continue to raise money so others can attend camp and feel the same way,” Liles said. “I am still collecting money for CAP. I placed collection jars at businesses and donated the money raised from my lemonade stand this year to help. I will forever continue to help others so no one ever thinks they aren’t good enough due to their hair loss.”
Spitzer headed up Copperas Cove’s Free Little Library Project over the last year ensuring that the book bins located at all Copperas Cove ISD schools and the two City of Copperas Cove swimming pools were not only filled with books but remained sanitized through the pandemic.
“My favorite subject in school is reading. I love to read and I like all kinds of books. There is not a book I don’t like,” Spitzer said. “So, I enjoy sharing my love of reading with other kids. You cannot be successful if you do not know how to read.
“When my Mom and Dad told me the news of me winning the Student Hero Award, I was the happiest kid ever,” the 9-year old said. “I’ve worked very hard to help the kids in my community.”
Due to the pandemic, a resolution will be read in Liles’ and Spitzer’s honor in Austin during the general meeting of the SBOE on September 11, 9 a.m. It will be live streamed at http://www.adminmonitor.com/tx/tea. The resolution will also be available for viewing at a later time.
Liles and Spitzer will receive both a plaque and a medal from their respective SBOE representative on a future date.