In the words of past Mansfield Rotary Club member Brigadier Bill McGowan, βReal courage pits a solitary figure against the world, and real heroes are most times nameless.β
That quote was shared by Mike Casto, chairman of theΒ Rotary McGowan Courage Award Committee, Tuesday morning and set the tone for the 47th annual Mansfield Rotary McGowan Courage Awards, in which nine area high school students were recognized for their courage and tenacity in the face of adversity.
Casto said, βThe McGowan Courage Award, I think, is best described as the heart and soul of the Mansfield Rotary Club and fulfills our motto of βservice above self.ββ
The award was first presented in 1968 by McGowan, who was commander of the Mansfield Salvation Army Post, and Rotarian Bob Glass. Together, they came up with the concept to βrecognize students, not for academics, not for athletics, but for overcoming adversity and for courage,β Casto explained.
βMcGowanβs goal,β Casto said, βand the goal and purpose of the Rotary McGowan Courage Award, is to foster and encourage scholastic responsibility by recognizing and rewarding those students, those βnameless heroes,β from our local schools who have manifested courage, tenacity, and fortitude in their lives in the face of personal adversity and difficulty.β
Since the awardβs inception, over 270 students in the community have received the award.
This yearβs award recipients include Tim Gesouras of Lexington High School, Mariah Gorrell of St. Peterβs High School, Hannah Hawkins of Crestview High School, Nathaniel (Nate) Holvey of Mansfield Christian School, Eric (Ricky) Hoover of Madison High School, Maβ Tia Porter of Mansfield Senior High School, Nathan (Chance) Smith of Ontario High School, Jacob Stolsmark of Lucas High School, and Phyllis (Ashley) Wurth of Clear Fork Valley High School.
(See students’ individual stories in attached article at left.)
Each recipient received an education fund award of $1,000, a $100 savings certificate from Richland Bank, a tuition credit voucher for three credit hours at North Central State College, a proclamation issued by the Richland County Board of Commissioners, a commemorative plaque from the Mansfield Rotary Club, an American flag flown over the U.S. Capitol building, and recognition certificates from Mansfield Mayor Tim Theaker and Congressmen Bob Gibbs and Pat Tiberi.
Further, the students were praised by their educators who shared how theyβve witnessed the student triumph over adversity.
Whether itβs dealing with a developmental disorder like Autism, or facing the loss of a loved one, each student has demonstrated courageous behaviors and attitudes towards the struggles in their lives, and, therefore, has rightly earned the McGowan Courage Award.
Using a baseball analogy, Congressman Tiberi expressed to the students how each of them has achieved in overcoming hardships: βWhen you step up to the batterβs box, the ball isnβt always pitched right down the middle of the plate. In fact a lot of times you get a curveball,β he said. βIf you hit a curveball, thatβs pretty impressive, but more impressive than hitting a curveball is stepping up in the batterβs box and trying to hit the curveball.β
He went on to say that each of them has not shirked from stepping up to the plate; rather, βYou all today have engaged; you have engaged even though it may have been easier to not engageβ¦You inspire us and you give us great hope.β
Β βYou all today have engaged; you have engaged even though it may have been easier to not engageβ¦You inspire us and you give us great hope,β said Rep. Pat Tiberi.