T-burg Rotary announces Students of the Month

The Trumansburg Rotary has announced its December and January winners of the Student of the Month awards program. This program rewards and recognizes youth in the community who exemplify the Rotary’s motto of Service Above Self and who live the Rotary’s four-way test in their everyday lives.

“Of the things we think, say or do, is it the truth?” said Neil DeRaiche, track and field coordinator of Trumansburg Central School District and Rotary member. “Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?”

The students, nominator and parents or legal guardians have been invited to attend a Trumansburg Rotary dinner and meeting.​ Each student will give a short speech about themselves and their service and be presented with an award and a $50 gift certificate from a local business.

Trumansburg Rotary will select one of the seven Student of the Month award students for the Student of the Month annual award in June. That student will receive additional recognition and a $1,000 cash prize.

Barbara Swartwood, Trumansburg Central School District counselor, nominated 11th-grade student Finley Redmond, who was the winner of the December 2021 student of the month award.

“Finley is an exceptional member of our student body,” Swartwood said. “She volunteers her time at the Trumansburg library throughout the year as well as at our high school library. She was also a freshmen orientation and new student volunteer for our school, which included working with students to make sure they were comfortable with starting school. Finley is kind to her peers, respectful toward adults and is willing to lend a helping hand whenever needed.”

The first award of 2022, for January, was won by senior Madeline Brainard after she was nominated by the Trumansburg Central School District school librarian, Mary Kay Welgloss.

“Maddy regularly helps out in the library during free periods,” Welgloss said. “She is helpful, personable and friendly to all of the students and staff. She has taken on leadership roles for many activities for her senior class this year, for which she has committed untold hours of her personal time. She can always be counted on to do an excellent job in organizing events like the Homecoming Pep Rally and Spirit Week activities, and her peers look up to her as a role model. She is a bright and hard-working student who truly embodies all of the qualities of a Rotary Club Student of the Month.”

To be nominated, students must meet qualifications set up by the Rotary Club. Anyone personally acquainted with the student can nominate them.

Qualifying candidates must be Charles O. Dickerson High School students (grades nine through 12) or homeschool students (grades nine through 12) within the Trumansburg Central School District and be in good academic standing. Eligible students must not have previously won an award within the year nominated.

Anyone wishing to nominate a student can complete the online nomination form or download a printable version of the nomination form ​at tinyurl.com/y8w9hcz6.

The Trumansburg Rotary will then send an email confirmation upon receipt of submission.

“We have been struggling a little to get the program off and running,” DeRaiche said. “I am assuming it has a lot to do with COVID and the world we live in, but we really want this program to be successful and to be able to honor some of Trumansburg’s finest.”

Because the challenges of the pandemic have forced a growing number of students to study remotely, the program has expanded to include homeschool students.

“The $1,000 can be utilized in any way the winner sees fit,” DeRaiche explained. “We want to encourage our youth to continue on with bettering their world however they choose. This is not a traditional college scholarship type program. Now more than ever, we see that all jobs and roles in society have value and meaning and that there is no one set course that one must take to better the world around them.”

Nominees can include any youth in the community who contributes in a genuine and meaningful way to bettering their surroundings.

“All that is necessary to qualify to be nominated is doing good for others and caring about your community,” DeRaiche said. “It can be helping out your neighbors with work around their house to helping fellow students with challenges they may face. If they’re doing good things to make their community better, that qualifies. As long as the student exemplifies service above self, is truthful and fair to all concerned and builds goodwill and better friendships, we want to know about it. We want to encourage the youth in our community to continue to contribute to those around them.”

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