Inaugural student award winners
chosen in Fort Fairfield
By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
FORT FAIRFIELD — Desiraie Rediker and Joshua Wortman have been chosen by the Fort Fairfield Rotary Club as its inaugural Fort Fairfield High School Rotary Spirit Student Award recipients.
Contributed photo
DESIRAIE REDIKER, a sophomore at Fort Fairfield High School, was recently chosen by the Fort Fairfield Rotary Club as one of its inaugural FFHS Rotary Spirit Student Award recipients. Rediker was honored for her achievement at a Rotary breakfast. Congratulating her are, from left, front row: parents Brett and Rebecca Tarbox, Rediker, and Janet Kelle, Rotary Club president. Back row: James Smith, FFHS faculty nominator; Tracy Copeland, Rotary Spirit Student Award Program chair; Mark Jenkins, FFHS principal; and Stephanie Beaulieu, Rotary Club event hostess.
Rediker, a sophomore, and Wortman, a senior, were nominated for the award by the FFHS faculty and staff with the award recipients chosen by the Rotary Club’s selection committee from amongst multiple nominees.
“The program selection criteria includes academics, citizenship, and personal development,” said Carl Young of the Fort Fairfield Rotary Club. “Emphasis is placed upon working to one’s potential, making significant progress in the classroom, demonstrating respect toward the student body, staff and faculty, being a positive role model to one’s peers, and volunteer efforts both within the school and the community.
“Both of our inaugural recipients demonstrate an exemplary work ethic with respect to their studies and serve as positive role models amongst their peers,” he said.
At a recent Rotary Club recognition breakfast where the award recipients received achievement certificates, Rediker was accompanied by her parents, Brett and Rebecca Tarbox, while Wortman was accompanied by his parents, Roland and Tammy Wortman. Each recipient’s photo will now be placed on the school bulletin board and website, and they are automatically in the running for the Rotary Spirit Student of the Year who will receive a $300 cash award.
Contributed photo
JOSHUA WORTMAN, a senior at Fort Fairfield High School, was recently honored as one of the Fort Fairfield Rotary Club’s inaugural FFHS Rotary Spirit Student Award recipients. Wortman received an achievement certificate and was honored at a Rotary breakfast. Pictured are, from left, front row: parents Roland and Tammy Wortman, Wortman, and Janet Kelle, Rotary Club president. Back row: Robert Helstrom, FFHS faculty nominator; Tracy Copeland, Rotary Spirit Student Award Program chair; Mark Jenkins, FFHS principal; and Stephanie Beaulieu, Rotary Club event hostess.
The new Rotary Spirit Student Award Program seeks to honor students in grades 9-12 throughout the school year.
The inaugural student winners were selected for the award period September/October 2011. Winners will also be selected for the periods November-December, January-February, and March-April. Additionally, at the end of the school year, a Rotary Spirit Student of the Year will be chosen from those that received bi-monthly awards.
This year’s program is also serving as a pilot program for a similar one at the middle school level. It is envisioned that if the new program is well received by the student body and is successful at the high school that it will expand to the middle school level next year, and possibly a modified version at the elementary school level the following year.
