COEUR d'ALENE - Dylan Drummond couldn't stop smiling last Tuesday at Winton Elementary School.

During a short, fifth-grade assembly in his honor, the 11-year-old basked in the cheers and applause of his classmates as he was presented a multi-tiered trophy topped with a large, golden eagle in flight.

With casual confidence, Dylan accepted the award, and then stood in front of his classmates and told them how he earned it.

"I went from this guy who was scared to leave his house to going out and doing other things," Dylan said.

Dylan's mom, Jenny, said not long ago, her son wouldn't have been able to handle the recognition. He suffered from crippling anxiety.

She said her divorce from Dylan's dad was hard on her son. She knew she had to do everything she could on her end to help Dylan deal with the fallout.

"I can't change it for him, but I can give him the tools to deal with it," Drummond said.

Dylan received the trophy Tuesday in special recognition of his work with family counselor and pilot, Joe McCarron, founder of SOARING (Special Opportunities Affirm Recognition in Noteworthy Goals.)

Dylan was named SOARING's Youth of the Month for July.

The Coeur d'Alene nonprofit assists youth in meeting challenges, and rewards those who reach their therapeutic goals with the chance to co-pilot a small airplane.

Dylan's flight, with an experienced pilot at his side, is scheduled to take off from Coeur d'Alene Airport-Pappy Boyington Field on Oct. 29.

"There is no limit to what you can do, and this young guy here is proof of that," McCarron said.

The SOARING program uses airplane metaphors to help kids learn successful strategies for dealing with the challenges in their lives.

"The biggest issue for Dylan is to be able to get his own power back, and in doing that, regaining his self-esteem," said Jenny Drummond. "He went from a child with zero self-esteem to standing up and speaking his mind, having a voice."

Drummond said it has been a cumulative effort to help her son, with multiple people showing Dylan love, support and understanding, and a lot of "talking, talking, talking."

"You have to get it out there if you want help for your child," she said.

In addition to the SOARING program, she credits Dylan's success to the counselors at Camp Ka-Mee-Lin in Post Falls; his Tae Kwon Do teacher, Master Kim at KTigers in Coeur d'Alene; and his teachers and counselor, Ronnie Semko, at Winton Elementary.

Semko spoke to Dylan's classmates Tuesday before the trophy was brought out. She said Dylan had to learn to overcome his challenges with courage, bravery and by practicing skills.

"He did that all with a cheering squad, people telling him he could do it," Semko said.

Like her son, Jenny Drummond was sporting a huge grin Tuesday at Borah.

She also wiped a tear or two from her eye: "It's so bittersweet. He's growing his own wings."