b'NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE, continued2021 State Essay Contest Winners8th Grade Winner Oliver CrowsonCouncil 9923 District 15Oliver is the winner of the St. Joseph KofC Council 4599 Catholic Citizenship Essay Contest and the winner of the Georgia State Council award for the eighth grade category. Oliver has been named by Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly as a Runner-up in the in-ternational judging for the eighth grade category.St. Joseph Catholic School has now won the state contest eighth grade category for eight straight years.Being a Runner Up in the international review is a first! When I was seven years old, I was di- firstthreeweeksofmyradiationther-agnosed with brain cancer.It isnt normalapy, I had to be sedated avery day for (and it wasnt fun) to have brain surgery,treatment and while I was falling asleep, I radiation,andchemotherapyinsecondcould listen to or watch anything I want-grade.God gave me the faith and hopeed.The last three weeks I could stay to endure it.Even though I didnt under- awake.Every single time, I would plug stand the challenge he put in front of me,in my iPad and play Thrive to fill the room I was able to trust and see that God gavewith Gods encouragement and love.me strength in many ways.God helpedThegreatestgiftsofmylifeare me endure by granting me a strong fam- summed by my favorite bible verse, and ily, faithful friends, and the gift of musicnow these three remain: faith, hope, and during my difficult time fighting cancer. love.But the greatest of these is love. (1 God gave me a strong family to supportCorinthians 13:13).When presented with me along the way.My family is from At- hardship,itcanbeeasytodoubtand lanta, Georgia.However, the treatment Iquestion faith.I made sure to surround needed was in Jacksonville, Florida.Mymyself with positivity, love, and prayer. momandgrandmotherwentdowntoGod helped me endure by granting, me a Jacksonville with me.My dad stayed atstrong family, faithful friends, and the gift home with my brothers and sister.Ev- of music during my difficult time fighting ery day, I would FaceTime with my familycancer.back home.One of the phrases we would ay multiple times a day was, Never Give Up.We had a friend from church, Robert Price, who would say that to us after each Mass.My dad would bring my siblings to visit us every week-end.He would bring cards and letters from my friends at schoolK NIGHTS OF C OLUMBUSand church.Their prayers of encouragement would renew my spirit for the week ahead. April 12, 2021God also blessed me in an- OliverCrowson401 Church St NEother way.He had me shareMariettaGA30060thisexperiencewithseveral friends.A younger boy namedDearOliverCooperwasbeingtreated On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Knights of Columbus, it gives me great at the same place for radia- pleasure to announce that you are anInternationalRunner-upinthe Catholic Citizenship Essay Contest. Todays Catholic youth will become the Catholic adults of tion and chemo.Our momstomorrow, and by their actions and decisions, they will play a major role in the future would pray together.I was adirection of the Church.It is apparent to me from the quality of all the essays few weeks ahead of Cooper insubmitted that the youth of today are on the right track toward this goal.the treatment program.OneYour essay was chosen from hundredsof entries, and truly defines How trusting in God during a difficult time has helped you or someone you know find the dayhismommentionedtostrength and hope to endure it. As a reward for your efforts,you will be receiving me that his scalp was gettinga check in the mail in the coming days.reallysensitiveandhishairIt is of paramount importance to strengthen the foundation of our faith in the hearts and minds of the youth.They are our future priests, sisters, teachers, and legislators, had started falling out.I toldand with a strong base of Catholic beliefs they will excel in those roles.he that shaving my head had Congratulations on this prestigious achievement, I wish you continued success reallyhelpedmewhenthatthroughout your scholastic experience and beyond.happened to me.I was able to show strength to Cooper and beSincerely,there when he shaved his head.It gave us both hope that we were facing the challenge together.One of the most surprising ways God gave me strength wasSupreme Knightthrough music.A few weeks before I was diagnosed, my dad introduces me to a band called Casting Crowns.They had aCc: Grand Knight Council 4599new album call Thrive and it was full of inspirational music.IState Deputy immediately downloaded the whole thing to my iPad.For the 1 COLUMBUS PLAZANEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT 06510-3326TEL. 203-752-4000WWW.KOFC.ORG91'