Kayla Hammel, Robin Hannen, Jason Appiah, Christopher “Cody” Clements were recently honored as the recipients of the 2007 Joan Jarrett Student Award. The presentation was made on Sunday March 4, 2007 at the Pennsylvania Middle School Association (PMSA) State Conference held in Harrisburg, PA. Hammel, Hannen, Appiah, and Clements were selected from statewide nominations of students recognized by their teachers for leadership abilities, good citizenship, and positive contributions to their school and community.
The Joan Jarrett Student Award is very prestigious as it recognizes the very heart of middle level education, the student. The Student Award is the brainchild of Joan Jarrett, a dedicated middle level educator from Hershey Middle School. Joan is a past President of PMSA. She continues to be active at the State and National levels currently representing this region as a Trustee on the Board of the National Middle School Association (NMSA). Due to her belief that outstanding students should be recognized for their efforts, PMSA has honored 18 young people in the past 8 years.
Four young adolescents who exemplify the qualities and essence for which this award was designed are selected as recipients each year. These four students represent every middle level child in the State of Pennsylvania. Each student award winner, two males and two females, receives a plaque, a check for $500.00 to be used by their school, and a $1000.00 US Savings Bond.
Far too little attention is given to the student that comes to school every day, treats others with kindness and works hard to make their school and community a better place to live. Out of the many, many nominations that were received, the selection committee reviewed unfailingly courteous, kind, respectful, trustworthy, and cheerful students like Amber, Kara, Nicole, Corrina, Ashley, and Alex. Leaders like Breanna, Chelsea, David, Juliana, Marion, Ashley, Lisa, Lauren, and Kyla gave hundreds of volunteer hours and collected nonperishable food for food pantries, raised thousands of dollars to support Toys for Tots, gave books and crafts to children in the community, and organized many other community service projects. Benjamin, Brodi, Catherine, Joseph, Max, Phil, and Laura gave hundreds of hours to their fellow students as peer tutors and peer mediators. Caitlin, Raphael, Emily, Erik, Amanda, Ruth, and Stephen were recognized because they are true ladies, gentlemen, and everyday role models to their classmates. Chelsea and Joseph were nominated because they do the little |
|
things like pick up litter in the halls and make their schools look good. Dedicated musical and theatrical performers like Alexandra, Alysha, Katie, and Rose were nominated for the ways they share their talents. Ashley, Colleen, Daniel, Sheena and Jenni were nominated because they are dependable, quietly volunteer, and show integrity in everything they do. This award is about those students, the ones who do the right thing and are making a positive difference day-to-day.
Kayla Hammel is an 8th grade student from Spring Cove Middle School in the Spring Cove School District. Her teacher describes Kayla as one who saves students from intolerance through her random acts of kindness and daily commitment to making the world safe for diversity. When she recognized that her peers were reacting inappropriately to the new presence of life-skills students in the school, Kayla took action. She volunteered in the life-skills classroom and began to speak out against discrimination and ignorance with her peers. Her model of humanitarianism led the way for other students to volunteer, speak out, and create a school environment where difference is valued, not ridiculed. This example is one of many ways by which Kayla has become valued and respected by her peers. They seek her compassion and wisdom in times of need.
Her altruism extends into the community as she leads the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, is active in her church youth group, volunteers at nursing homes, and participates in drives for the less fortunate. Kayla has even adopted a child through the World Vision program.
Kayla Hammel’s seemingly inconsequential acts of kindness are a perfect example of what was meant when Scott Douglas wrote, “Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.”
Robin Hannen is an 8th grade student from Trinity Middle School in the Trinity Area School District. One teacher |
In Joan Jarrett Student Award Recipients Honoredby Paul A. Meck, PMSA Awards Committee |
