Local Students Honored by Maryland Senate as Young Heroes

Despite the cold, windy rain, a crowd of hundreds filled the lobby at the State House in Annapolis on the evening of Feb. 28 waiting for the General Assembly session to begin.

Among those were the families of the 2010 Young Heroes award winners.
Young Heroes is an essay program created by Sen. Bryan Simonaire (R-Pasadena) and open to students in Maryland District 31—the district Simonaire represents. Sixteen students from Glen Burnie, Brooklyn Park and Pasadena all were recognized.

More than 600 essays were submitted from all 17 elementary schools in District 31 and Quinn Jagoe, a student at Bodkin Elementary, was among those honored.

“The Young Heroes writing contest is a favorite at Bodkin as it spotlights the many wonderful things that our students do in and for the community,” said Michael Shina, a fifth-grade teacher at the school.

Like the other students at Bodkin, Quinn has done a lot of good for his community, but Shina said he goes above and beyond. For the last six years Quinn has donated his birthday presents to charities including the U.S. Army, the Maryland Food Bank and the Anne Arundel County Police K-9 Unit, Shina said.

“How many children would give away gifts when they could accumulate more toys and goodies for themselves?” Shina asked. “Very few would—and Quinn is a Young Hero because of this.”

Fellow student Rebecca Ray wrote the winning essay that brought Quinn's efforts to the senator's attention.

“Having the opportunity to work with bright, caring students like Quinn makes it easy for me to support his efforts,” Shina said. “People need to know what our future leaders are doing.”

Simonaire established Young Heroes Day in 2008 as a way to recognize youth for their accomplishments. In 2009 he worked with Gov. Martin O'Malley to declare the first Monday in October of that year as Young Heroes Day through an executive proclamation.

But Simonaire said he feels young people should be recognized every year and in 2009 introduced a bill that would make the commemorative day an annual celebration. Since then he and his 16-year-old son Isaac have lobbied to pass the bill. This year Simonaire's younger son Andrew, 12, also testified in support of the bill.

Simonaire said he felt there was a lack of recognition of the achievements and contributions minors have made to society.

“With so much media focusing on the negative actions of our youth, it is imperative that we also highlight the positive accomplishments of out young people,” Simonaire said in a press release. “Children our our future and I am committed to encouraging them to excel in every area of life.”

The bill he introduced in 2009 passed the Senate but received an unfavorable report in the House Health and Government Operations Committee. In 2010, Simonaire cross filed the bills in the both the House and Senate. The bill was heard in the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee, but no further action was taken and the House version again received an unfavorable report from the House Health and Government Operations Committee.