by Ingrid Nova | May 26, 2016 | Awards, East Lansing Rotary Foundation, Foundation and Fund Raising
Joe Osypczuk, the Chairman of the East Lansing Rotary Foundation, had the privilege of addressing students, teachers, and parents at the 2016 High School Honors Event.
Greetings East Lansing Graduates and Scholars,
As a member of the Rotary Club of East Lansing, I am blessed to be able to stand before you to say how proud all of our club members are to have you in our community. You are being recognized for your outstanding scholarly skills as well as your outstanding community service.
As Rotarians, we are often asked, “What is a Rotary Club”? Rotary can best be defined in this way:
“Rotary is an organization of business and professional persons that are united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.”
Needless to say, our work begins in our local community of East Lansing by providing funding for items such as the Weekend Survival Kit backpack program that provides food for youngsters that are in need, the purchase of books for our local school libraries, the recent renovation of the Patriarche Park Playground and of course, the Joe Gross Memorial Scholarships and the student excellence awards that are being presented today.
In 1943, Rotary adopted a code of ethics that is now called The Four-Way Test. This code of ethics is followed by all Rotarians and is something that can be used and applied by everyone on a daily basis.
The message is simply:
Of the things we think, say or do:
1) IS IT THE TRUTH?
2) IS IT FAIR TO ALL CONCERNED?
3) WILL IT BUILD GOODWILL AND BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4) WILL IT BE BENEFICIAL TO ALL CONCERNED?
Congratulations on everything you have accomplished to date in your young lives. It is only the beginning – there is so much more for you to experience in the years ahead. Hopefully, the experiences will all be wonderful and fulfilling.
Thank you for letting the East Lansing Rotary Club be a part of your awards ceremonies.
We are pleased to provide the following awards to these outstanding students:
Student Excellence Awards ($ 250.00 Each)
Kokou Dagbovie
Jordan Harris-Gonzales
Scholarships ($ 2.000.00 Each)
Katelyn Meyer
Paul Przybylski
Madelyn Zink
by Ingrid Nova | Oct 28, 2015 | Awards, Youth Initiatives
East Lansing Rotary Names October Students of the Month
Daniel Hoffman is a senior at East Lansing High School who has maintained a 3.9 GPA. He enjoys drawing, painting, playing the guitar and running – which is why he is on the East Lansing Cross Country team. Daniel is also a member of the Christian Student Union, he looks to further his education in the arts and mathematics as well as education of youth. When asked who his favorite teacher was Daniel was quick to reply John Brandenburg his Calculus AB teacher, Daniel enjoyed Mr. Brandenburg’s class because of his wit, humor, and compassion shown to the students. Daniel was just as quick in his reply of who his favorite living person was – his father, because of quiet, yet impactful guidance. Daniel was recommended for this award by Instructor Robin Remer-Saenz, who shared that Daniel is a very creative student with a strong personal drive for excellence. Remer-Saenz went on to say that Daniel works hard to grow as an artist, staying after school, reaching beyond the assignment requirements, putting in extra life drawing sessions at MSU, as well as ongoing projects at home. The passion he brings to his work, along with a willingness to explore new ideas and respond productively to feedback, makes him successful at what he attempts.
Montgomery Smith is a senior at East Lansing High School with a 4.02 GPA. Montgomery is not shy about demonstrating and utilizing her intelligence participating in The Physics, Chemistry, and Science Olympiads, as well as Quiz Bowl. She is on the varsity bowling team, collects antiques and buttons, is a Sparrow Hospital volunteer and of course is a member of the National Honor Society. Montgomery has her eye set on a degree in Chemical Engineering at a Big Ten school, preferably U of M or MSU. Montgomery picked favorite teachers from each hemisphere of her brain. Ms. Remer-Saenz for her incredible devotion to her art students and Mr. Plough who teaches AP Physics saying she admires the incredible knowledge he demonstrates in his field.
by Ingrid Nova | Apr 7, 2015 | Awards
The East Lansing Rotary Club in conjunction with East Lansing High School are honored to announce April’s Students of the Month. John Michael Adelman (senior) and Brianna Jacquel Hankins (sophomore) have been selected as Aprils Students of the Month based upon criteria that include involvement in school activities, community service and their grade point average (GPA). The purpose of the award is to highlight young people who exemplify the values held in esteem by all Rotarians.
John Michael Adelman is a phenomenal student with an outstanding work ethic. Finishing up his senior year at East Lansing with an impressive 3.98 cumulative GPA, John has managed to stay extremely active throughout his time at ELHS. John is a school athlete, competing on both the cross country and track and field teams. On top of all this, John is a dedicated member to several organizations and clubs such as the Christian Student Union, Amnesty International, and the ELHS Ultimate Club. John is very rooted in his faith and plans to serve with NET Ministries for a year before attending college where he hopes to pursue a degree in Theology/Philosophy or Computer Science. He is a very well rounded person and serves as a great example to his fellow classmates.
Brianna Jacquel Hankins is very involved in both the Lansing community and at East Lansing High School. She is involved in several organizations including RAGE Student Ministries, ELHS Debate, Minority Student Achievement Network (MSAN), Lansing Teen Court, and Young Women for Change. She has worked diligently in her schoolwork to maintain a 3.88 GPA and is determined to continue applying herself in her studies with the hopes of one day attending Harvard Law University and becoming a prosecuting attorney. In her spare time, you can most likely find Brianna curled up with a book or out in the community enjoying various theater productions. Brianna is an amazing role model to her peers and has a bright future ahead of her.
Both of these individuals were asked to identify a person who has made a positive impact in each of their lives. Brianna says her favorite person is her grandmother because “she is always there to talk to, without judging or trying to analyze emotions.” John shares that his favorite person is David Kogut because he has been a brother to him and has the greatest sense of humor alongside his other admirable qualities. Both of them greatly appreciate their teachers for their guidance and wisdom throughout their time in school and are thankful for the ways in which they have influenced their lives.
If you run into John or Brianna in the next couple of weeks, be sure to thank them for their constant dedication and involvement to bettering the community and the world around them!
by Ingrid Nova | Apr 7, 2015 | Awards
The East Lansing Rotary Club in conjunction with East Lansing High School are honored to announce March’s students of the month. Erin Ruark (freshman), and Anthony Petroff (sophomore) have been selected as February Students of the Month based upon criteria that include involvement in school activities, community service and their Grade Point Average (GPA). The purpose of the Award is to highlight young people who exemplify the values held in esteem by all Rotarians.
Erin Ruark was nominated by her Geometry Teacher. Erin is an excellent student both in and out of the classroom. She studies hard (aced her Geometry final – not many of us can say that!) – she loves to both read and write, is active in ISHALL, an accelerated English program offered through and at Michigan State University. Erin also plays the violin and can be heard singing in the chorus of East Lansing High School’s musical “The Wiz”. Erin has the opportunity to expand both her joy, and skill in writing through the writing club she is active in. When Erin isn’t busy, singing, writing, or reading you will find her active on a community project through dosomething.org.
Anthony Petroff is also a math whiz. Taking Algebra 2 as a sophomore puts Anthony ahead of the curve in his math curriculum. He is an all-around outstanding student with a 3.89 GPA. Anthony is a quiet leader. He knows when to work, he knows when to make suggestions, and he knows when and how to step up and help others. An example of this is his ability to take a tough subject like Math, and using “texting” lingo help his peers remember difficult logarithms. By placing difficult ideas and concepts into “lingo” that his peers can understand he is helping them improve their understanding of Algebra 2. In addition to applying himself to his studies, Anthony is a member of Christian Student Union (CSU) and a member of the East Lansing Football team.
Both young adults were asked who their favorite person was and they had a common answer. Both mentioned parents as that person(s) they looked up to most and appreciated them for the positive role they play in their respective lives. Anthony likes the idea of being a doctor or working in a medically related field, while Erin has her sights set on studying abroad, learning multiple languages, and helping this experience to shape what her future might hold.
If you happen to run into either Erin or Anthony in the next few weeks, thank them for their efforts and congratulate them both for being March’s East Lansing Rotary’s Students of the month.
by Ingrid Nova | May 28, 2014 | Awards, Community Service Ongoing, Youth Initiatives
The Student Excellence Award is presented to motivated East Lansing High School students who have demonstrated good character and citizenship through activities in school and the community. In addition, they have demonstrated personal growth by overcoming adversities. The award includes a certificate and a monetary donation for future educational endeavors, which is presented to the students at the Senior Honors Night. The students are nominated by the counseling staff at East Lansing High School. The East Lansing Rotary Club is pleased to announce the 2014 Award Winners.
Kenneth Washington Nominated for Student Excellence Award by School Counselor Nicole Coss
“Kenneth transferred to East Lansing High School when he moved to the area from Detroit.Kenneth holds a job outside of school to help support his family. His income helps his mother with household expenses,as she was a single mother raising two boys up until recently. He is the first person in his family to attend college,” shared Coss.
“Kenneth is a top candidate for this award because of his level of maturity. Kenneth has forged dynamic and genuine relationships with students, teachers, administrators, parents and community members. His ability to engage and lead is innately intertwined with his fascinating and compassionate personality, his mastered sense of conscientiousness and his work ethic.These traits convince me that he will positively influence everyone’s paths he crosses.” Upon receiving the award and recognition at a recent Rotary meeting Kenneth shared that he is looking at MSU, Michigan or North Carolina for school where he hopes to study pre-med.
Juwahir Mohamud Nominated for Student Excellence Award by her Counselor Joshua Barrons
“Juwahir’s family is from Somalia. They immigrated to the United States from a refugee camp in Kenya when she was a baby (after civil war broke out in Somalia). Juwahir comes from a huge family–she is one of 11 children. She is one of the most hardworking and dedicated students. Juwahir goes out of her way to help other students and to make a difference in the community. One of the places Juwahir volunteers is the Boys and Girls Club of Lansing. While Juwahir struggled when she started as a freshman at ELHS, she persevered and demanded academic and personal success for herself. She is now an A/B student. Juwahir will be the first person in her family to attend a four-year university. She has been accepted to MSU,”shared Barrons.
The Student Excellence Awards are a project of the Community Service Committee of the East Lansing Rotary Club. Member Kristin Shelley was the chair of this year’s awards process.
