INSPIRED BY STORY SHE READ

By SUZANNE M. SCHMIDT

When Olana Osborn, a fourth-grader at Lewis Elementary School, cut 10 inches of her hair off for Locks of Love, she didn’t expect anything in return.
To Olana’s surprise, however, she was selected as the Temple Terrace Police Department’s April winner for the Do the Right Thing Award. Locks of Love, a nonprofit organization, provides hair pieces to financially disadvantaged children aged 18 and under with longterm medically-related hair loss.
“I read a book about a girl who got alopecia areata and it made her lose her hair,” Olana said. “Her classmates donated all their hair in the book. I cut my hair a month ago and donated it to Locks of Love. It is really easy to do my hair now and my parents don’t have to touch it. I plan to re-grow my hair and cut it again in the future.”
The girl in the story had alopecia areata, a condition that causes hair loss in small round patches that can go away on its own or may last for years.
The award is given by the police department’s crime prevention unit, which accepts nominations from 28 schools in Hillsborough County, members of the community and fellow police officers about any child caught doing the right thing.
Karen Walter, crime prevention officer for Temple Terrace, helps run the program.
“She did something totally unselfish,” Walter said. “I think she was chosen because she went above and beyond. What she did is commendable for a fourth-grader.”
Any child nominated for the award program receives a T-shirt and a certificate of recognition. Generally, the winner of the month also receives special recognition at a Temple Terrace City Council meeting, but Olana couldn’t make it. Instead, she received her certificate on the school’s morning show.
“I got kind of nervous,” Olana said. “I have never been on the morning show before. I thought I looked weird. It was fun and I think it is cool to be recognized.”
The book, ‘Because of Anya,’ was one of her class’ Battle of the Books assignments.
“I like to read,” Olana said. “I sometimes read a whole book a week and at other times I read about 100 pages a week. I am reading a book here at school and a book at home.”
Olana said she is inspired to read because books are so exciting.
“I like that there are different types of books,” Olana said. “I especially like mysteries. They always keep me wanting to finish the book to find out what will happen at the end.”
Laura Summers is Olana’s fourth-grade homeroom teacher. She said Olana is always doing things like this.
“It doesn’t surprise me with the way Olana is,” Summers said. “She is very giving, hard working and very well-liked among her peers. She seems to have a very caring spirit and an ability to think of others before herself. I think it is wonderful.”
Nicole Meyerson, the child’s language arts teacher, thinks Olana is a great young girl.
“I would expect something like this from her,” Meyerson said. “She is just a really good kid. Other children read the book and loved it, but they didn’t do what she did. She is very caring and concerned about other people.”
Debra Osborn, Olana’s mother, said she is proud of her daughter.
“I am especially proud of how humble she is being about this,” Osborn said. “I couldn’t make the awards ceremony and it didn’t bother her. She didn’t do this for all the hoopla. She does things like this a lot. She impresses me everyday.”
Olana has big plans for her future.
“I will probably take care of others around the world,” Olana said. “I want to travel as soon as I get my passport. I feel I could learn more if I travel to other countries than if I stay here.”
For information about the Do the Right Thing program, call 989-7046.