Sebastian Exchange club honors the first YOUTH OF THE MONTH AWARD in the new year
OUR YOUTH OF THE MONTH AWARD recognizes hard-working pre-high school and high school students who attain high levels of scholastic achievement, community involvement and leadership, and daily demonstrate good citizenship both at school and at home. Students recognized for the month of January were Melanie Sanchez from Sebastian River Middle School, Giovanni Russo from Sebastian Charter Junior High School and Christopher Cummings and Kaley Hellyer from Sebastian River High School. Also joining us was E’Mani Pryor, December student of the month from Storm Grove Middle School.
Melanie Sanchez is a pleasure to have class this year. She is a wonderful example of the IB MYP program by being a role model to her peers and helping her teachers. She always enters class with a positive attitude and often gets right to work, which shows her hardworking attitude and determination to succeed. She’s an excellent communicator, she’s caring, she principled, she’s balanced, and she’s a risk-taker. She’s the type of student that you wish you had a class full of students like her. Melanie’s willingness to advocate for her needs whenever she does not understand an assignment or lab procedure is admirable.
Melanie spent a vast amount of time and effort into her Science Fair Project this year, confidently presenting it. As a result she will be representing SRMS at the District Science Fair at the end of this month. Outside of the classroom, Melanie is also a kind young woman with a bright future ahead of her. She is well deserving of this honor.
Giovanni Russo is respectful, responsible, inquisitive and a strong leader. He is enrolled in all advanced courses and works hard to maintain his A-Honor Roll grades. He exhibits man outstanding character traits. Even with challenging tasks he is determined to succeed in anything that he does and never gives up. Not only is he a model student, but he is also always willing to help others. His classmates and friends also used the terms stellar, respectful, outstanding to describe his demeanor and upstanding character. He is an executive officer of National Junior Honor Society and his collaborative efforts as a role model to peers. He is a young man that has made great strides. In accepting his award he thanked our club, his teachers and his parents for their support and said, “I am extremely grateful.”
Kaley Hellyer is a K-12 IB Diploma Candidate with a weighted GPA of 4.561 and class rank of 15th. She is a member of the National Honor Society and has received the SRHS Scholar Athlete Award for Lacrosse and basketball (all 3 years). She is a Varsity Athlete in both lacrosse and basketball and was Captain of both her junior year. Kaley tutors all subjects for classmates and other students at SRHS. The volunteers with food drives and beach cleanups and is organizing a lacrosse camp for middle school girls. She also works 3-4 days per week at Mr. Manatees. She has been accepted to UNF, Rollins, FL Gulf Coast and waiting to hear from Miami and UF. In accepting her award Kaley thanked our club and her advisors and her parents for all their support on this “wild ride” to her senior year.
Christopher Cummings Is also a K-12 IB Diploma Candidate with a weighted GPA of 4.675 and class rank of 3rd. He is a member of the National Honor Society, the Excel Club, an AP Scholar, a 4-year percussion member of the SRHS Pride and Marching Sharks Band, a varsity athlete in track for 4 years, and varsity basketball for 3 years, serving as captain his sophomore and junior years and is senior class representative. He volunteers at his Church by playing the piano and drums and helps prepare Thanksgiving baskets for the needy. He also works at Casual Males outlet in Vero Beach. In accepting his award Christopher thanked our club, his advisors “for his prestigious award,” and his parents who are “his backbone.” Christopher has applied to UF, Miami, UNF, USF and Georgia Tech to study pre-med.
E’Mani Pryor is a stellar leader at Storm Grove Middle School. She is a member of the volley ball team and basket ball teams. She accepts last minute assignments willingly. She has been partnered to mentor 6th graders and reaches out to help her peers. Her future is “super bright.” In accepting her award E’Mani thanked her mom and dad, teachers and our club for this honor.
Margie Duffell