describes Robin as coming to middle school two years ago painfully shy and desperate to be noticed and encouraged by her teachers.  Since then, Robin always worked hard, raised her hand to participate, and was bursting to tell about her etiquette classes at church.  Whenever asked to do something, she gave nothing short of 100%.  Robin did not earn straight A’s in school.  What she did earn was respect.  She constantly displays extraordinary enthusiasm for life and a caring soul that strives to please those around her.  She befriends students who may be treated cruelly and shunned by others.  Robin offers to help them when they struggle with homework and shares her caring spirit and helping hand.

 

This year Robin is more involved in school.  She is a positive motivated player in softball.  She is trusted to run daily errands for the Office Staff.  Robin is talkative about school and home activities and is a candidate for the National Junior Honor Society.  At church, Robin sings in the choir and teaches bible school.  Robin has not been awarded any big honors in the past, but her eyes light up when her teacher talks of her future and going to college.  She shares encouragement and kindness with everyone she meets and personifies the kind of student every teacher wants in their classroom.  Robin Hannen is truly the child that represents the majority of our population, who teachers care and believe in, and is wonderfully in the middle.

 

Jason Appiah is an 8th grade student from the Benjamin Franklin School Math/Science Academy in the Harrisburg School District.  His self-motivation and devotion to schoolwork are models to his peers.  He participates in school fundraisers to help classmates have the resources to go on fieldtrips. 

 

But more important, he is highly respected by his peers.  Recently he advised friends that what they were planning to do was a bad decision.  After some discussion, the group changed their plans. Later several boys shared that Jason was instrumental in stopping them from engaging in activities that may have had grave consequences.   His peers truly appreciate his friendly interventions.

 

In the community, Jason is actively involved in his church.  Every week for two weekday evenings, Saturday, and Sunday he studies, preaches, and visits others – sharing his religious beliefs and doctrines.  Each year he attends a district convention, special assembly

day, and an annual assembly.  During these events, Jason learns to improve his poise, communication skills, and ability to interact with people of all ages.  He is particularly attentive to his elders, learning all he can from their wisdom and experience.  Recently, he shared his compassion for others by e-mailing best wishes to his teacher who had been out of school due to illness for several days.

 

Jason’s love for learning helps him make connections between what he learns in class and what is happening in the community and world.  This team players’ greatest asset is leading by example.  When asked by others about his calm mature approach to life, Jason discusses his beliefs and encourages others to draw their own conclusions. Whether playing basketball, street hockey, or roller-blading, Jason Appiah never misses a chance to interact with his peers in an effort to make connections to a vision of contribution he is crafting for adulthood.

 

Christopher “Cody” Clements is an 8th grade student from Ligonier Valley Middle School, in the Ligonier Valley School District.  Cody is an excellent student who is always prepared for class not only with assignments and materials, but also with a cheery smile and great attitude.  He not only gives 100% in the classroom, he loves his community and can be seen helping in many ways around town.

 

Cody helps with the church food bank, The Fresh Express, where he assists in distributing food to needy families.  He also participates in the “Crop Walk” and is a Salvation Army bell ringer during the holiday season.  Recently, he assisted his youth group in cleaning up the community.  Cody assisted in cleaning up the historic Keltz Cemetery, with graves dating to the Revolutionary War.  Cody doesn’t like cleaning, but mowing grass, cutting branches, fixing fence poles, cleaning sidewalks, and setting up fallen gravestones was an exception.  This was for others and Cody enjoys opportunities to help his community.  Senior citizens living in convalescent homes enjoy his visits and the stories he reads to them.  Cody considers these visits a privilege.

 

More importantly, Cody supports his school in any way possible.  He is very active in the student council assisting with fundraisers and charitable programs such as the Foul-A-Thon and Toys for Tots.  He shows school spirit by participating in the high school marching band and even picking up litter from the floors of the school.