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Bravo! Military, scouting achievements and much more

by in News

Newport Beach Navy League expands support of NJROTC units

Troy High School’s NJROTC unit in Fullerton is the most recent beneficiary of financial support provided by the Newport Beach Navy League Council.

During a special drill ceremony, a $400 grant was presented for the cadet corps’ 325 members.

  • Troy High School NJROTC Cadet Capt. Jessica Hong accepts a $400 grant from the Newport Beach Navy League Council. On the right is CDR. William Lauper, retired, an instructor at Troy, and Bob Filosa and Irv Cuevas who were representing the Navy League. (Courtesy of Troy High NJROTC)

  • Megan Loh at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.(Courtesy Girl Scouts of Orange County)

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  • Seaman Recruit Austin Grodt from Orange. (Courtesy ofNavy Office of Community Outreach)

  • Heritage Oak students, including Audrey Her and Celine Tseng, held a clothing drive to collect donations for Working Wardrobes. (Courtesy Heritage Oak Private Education)

  • Heritage Oak Private Education students held a clothing drive to collect work attire donations for Working Wardrobes and delivered the donations to the organization. (Courtesy Heritage Oak Private Education)

  • Heritage Oak student Audrey Her with donations for Working Wardrobes. (Courtesy Heritage Oak Private Education)

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The Newport Beach Council began its support of Orange County high school NJROTC programs two years ago at Pacifica High School in Garden Grove, then Troy, with plans for possible further expansion for students at Anaheim, Santa Ana and Saddleback high schools.

Placentia Girl Scout breaks barriers to STEM

Girl Scout Megan Loh, 16, has been selected as a Prudential Spirit of Community Awards distinguished finalist.

For her Girl Scout Gold Award, she formed the nonprofit GEARup4Youth, which inspires girls to engage with STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) via LEGO robotics programming. She also wrote the book “Easy STEM Activities You Can Do at Home,” and has coordinated 130 volunteers and raised $40,000 through her nonprofit to bring robotics and STEM to 6,500 girls, both nationally and internationally.

Recently, her team brought the robotics program to children in Malaysia, who may not have had opportunities otherwise to have this experience.

Loh also spoke on behalf of the United States at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, for the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. She used her Girl Scouts experience to speak about gender equality in science and technology, and broached the subject of solving these problems.

— Submitted by Girl Scouts of Orange County

Orange native earns military excellence award

Seaman Recruit Austin Grodt, an Orange native, graduated as the top sailor from Recruit Training Command, Division 808, earning the Military Excellence Award.

The honor is awarded to the recruit who best exemplifies the qualities of enthusiasm, devotion to duty, military bearing and teamwork, the announcement said. Grodt was awarded a letter of commendation for his achievements.

“Being honored with the MEA has made me recognize the time and effort that countless people have given me in order to reach this point,” Grodt said. “Humility and an insatiable drive has to remain at the forefront of my mind throughout my Naval career if I am to pay back those who have sacrificed so much.”

After graduation, Grodt will attend the Naval Special Warfare Preparatory School in Great Lakes, Illinois. Special warfare operators perform several duties in support of special operations missions.

Students donate nearly 700 articles of clothing to Working Wardrobes

Students from Heritage Oak school recently delivered 688 articles of clothing to Working Wardrobes, a nonprofit organization that supports workforce readiness for Southern California residents.

For more than a month, students and their families collected gently used professional and casual garments to benefit those who are going back to work. At the close of the drive, members of the school’s Associated Student Government delivered the donations to Working Wardrobes, where they received a tour of the career center and learned more about how the organization supports the community.

The Bravo! section highlights achievements of our residents and groups. Send news of achievements for consideration to ocrbravo@gmail.com.