Joey Monk wins Outstanding Youth Award for Compassion
May 23, 2013
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Bruton High School senior Joey Monk is the recipient of the 2013 Outstanding Youth Award for Compassion.
Joey exemplifies the meaning of the word compassion, consistently and caringly extending himself to help others in spite of his full schedule at Bruton High, where he has excelled academically, maintaining honor roll status, earning admission into the National Honor Society and being named an Advanced Placement Scholar. He has remained very active in extracurricular activities, including serving as Sports Editor for the school's newspaper, excelling on the Varsity Goilf team for four years, and staying active in the Distinguished Men of Bruton service organization.
In addition to these accomplishments, Joey is widely known and respected for his kindness in routinely doing what he can to help others. As captain and only senior on the golf team, Joey ensured that he set a good example to the younger players on the team and worked individually with each player, encouraging them if they were having problems with their game, and sharing his own struggles and what had helped him improve.
Joey's attentiveness in helping others s also demonstrated through his work as Sports Editor for the "Panther Press" school newspaper, allowing sports writers to shadow him as he researches a story all the while answering their questions, providing his input and insight, and gently making suggestions for changes to stories. Throughout the year, Joey has voluntarily visited the library during the school's Academic Enrichment Period to see if anyone needs tutoring help.
Ms. Dollyhigh, Joey's nominator and Bruton's new Library Media Specialist, says, "I have been consistently amazed at the compassion and willingness to help that he has shown with regard to his schoolmates. The kids are very open and receptive to him, and he's so kind, non-judgmental and very patient in answering their questions."
Ryan Sidhu wins Outstanding Youth Award for Community Service
May 23, 2013
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Grafton High School senior Ryan Sidhu is the recipient of the 2013 Outstanding Youth Award for Community Service.
Ryan has consistently demonstrated a genuine desire and commitment to serve others, and makes the time to do so in spite of his busy schedule. Ryan has achieved Honor Roll recognition all four years and earned admission into the National Honor Society. He also participates in time consuming extracurricular activities such as the Model U.N. program and performing all four years on the drumline for Grafton's Marching Band and as an accomplished percussionist with the Symphonic Band.
Despite all this, Ryan has remained focused on giving to others, devoting considerable volunteer time and energy and making a positive impact in his community and world. His strong commitment to volunteerism is evidenced by his working with Grafton's Sight and Sound crew for drama productions and serving as manager for the varsity soccer team. He has also volunteered with Grafton's Interact Club, a service oriented organization sponsored by the Rotary Club through which Ryan and his colleagues have performed numerous service projects benefitting others in our community, nation and in other countries. Projects have included: befriending a group of local seniors and making and delivering blankets to them; sponsoring a bowling tournament in support of the national Wounded Warrior Project; and conducting a basketball tournament in support of destitute children in Ecuador. For the past four years, Ryan has also been very active as a member of Grafton's Green Team, working faithfully to help recycling paper, plastics and cardboard at school.
Ryan has volunteered with the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships helping to prepare, organize and run the national conference with over 1,600 parents, teachers, educators and government officials attending from across the country in an ongoing effort to increase college access to low income and first generation students. He served over 130 hours for the conference and for its associated Youth Congress that saw some 100 students from across the country attend as well.
Ryan's nominator and former biology teacher, Ms. Dodge, says, "Unlike many of his peers who spend only a year or two in an activity, I have watched Ryan dedicate himself to the Interact Club for four years and help it grow into a dynamic service organization reaching out into the local community."
Abby Jones wins Outstanding Youth Award for Courage
May 23, 2013
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Tabb High School freshman Abby Jones is the recipient of the 2013 Outstanding Youth Award for Courage.
Born three months premature, Abby's parents were not given much hope that their newborn would survive. But Abby survived those critical early days and weeks, much to the joy and relief of her family. However, Abby was stricken with cerebral palsy leaving her legs tremendously weak. During her life, Abby has required over 30 surgeries as well as numerous medical appointments, treatments, and physical therapy that continue today. Complications from some of these surgeries have left Abby with recurring headaches and further loss of muscle strength, flexibility, and balance, which ultimately led to doctors prohibiting her from anymore horseback riding – one of Abby's favorite pastimes.
In spite of these physical challenges, Abby perseveres and is a source of encouragement and inspiration to her family, teachers, and classmates. Her work ethic and diligence in classes (she's maintaining a "B" average in English and is "acing Algebra") is admired by her teachers and classmates. Abby also gives back to the community by helping members of her church prepare and serve food to those in need.
"Abby is well-known, and has emphatically chosen not to allow her wheelchair to impede or cripple her social interactions with peers or staff," said Abby's nominator and English teacher, Mrs. Dawson. "She has the ability to make other people feel comfortable, special, and uninhibited around her, because she does not focus on her disability, but rather reaches out to others with a warm display of sensitivity and encouragement."
Morgan Irons wins Youth Award for Overall Achievement
May 23, 2013
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Grafton High School senior Morgan Irons is the recipient of the 2013 Outstanding Youth Award for Overall Achievement.
Morgan epitomizes excellence and outstanding achievement with her numerous accomplishments and superior performance in a wide variety of pursuits. Moran has earned a 4.7 grade point average, has earned straight A's ever since her freshman year, is a member of the National and French Honor Societies, the Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, the Tri-M Music Honor Society, and is a candidate for the National Thespian Honor Society, and has been named a national Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction.
In terms of leadership and service, Morgan has served as president of the French Honor Society, president of the Future Business Leaders of America, captain of Grafton's Color Guard team, captain of the Debate team, Class Marshall for last year's graduation ceremony, president of her church young women's group, recipient of the George Washington Most Outstanding Leadership Award at last year's American Independence Foundation of Colonial VA Youth Conference, and her selection to Girl's State last summer. Morgan has performed over 100 hours of volunteer service during each of her four years in high school, during which she has worked with her family, church, school, the Red Cross and by herself to participate in a variety of projects including several canned food drives, a clothes collection drive, a gift and food collection in support of the residents at Natasha House, visiting with residents in retirement homes, making blankets for hospitals, performing yard work for the elderly, and tutoring Grafton students in math and French.
Morgan participates in Grafton's Select Choir and was named to All District Choir three times, has won many awards for her public speaking, and has appeared in 13 theatre productions, as well as movies and TV episodes, and pursues portraiture and writing.
Of Morgan, band director Mr. Kirsch says, "She is humble, extremely hard working…responsible and dependable enough that we often let her lead her own practices for the Color Guard, and she always, and I mean always, sets the most positive role model you could ever expect for a student."
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