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Rotary Club awards Students of the Year

Deelia Warner of Illinois Valley Rotary Club presents the Student of the Year award to fourth-grader Alyn Brock, Tuesday, May 2 at Wild River. (Photo by Lindsay Martinho for the Illinois Valley News)

The Illinois Valley Rotary Club presented their awards for Student of the Year to three students who met their organization’s standards May 2 at the Wild River Brewing & Pizza. Although only one student was able to attend, the award presentation was meaningful and the speeches that accompanied it were heartfelt.

Deelia Warner explained to those in attendance that the Rotary Club chooses its award recipients after receiving recommendations from school staff and determining whether the student’s character meets the standards of their Four Way Test. The questions that were asked: Is it truth? Is it fair? Does it foster goodwill and better friendships? Is it beneficial to all involved?
This year, the Rotary Club decided that the students who met these qualifications were Evergreen Elementary student Alyn Brock, Lorna Byrne Middle School student Asia Davis and Illinois va;;ey High Schoo student Sarah White.
The only recipient in attendance was fourth-grader Alyn Brock. Her teacher Kelly Bethke described her as being “a well-spoken, trustworthy and wonderful young woman,” adding that she was proud of all that she has accomplished over the course of the school year.
Evergreen Principal Jenny Jones also spoke about how Brock’s embodiment of the virtues of honesty, empathy and integrity fell perfectly in line with the Rotary Club’s Four-Way Test.
When Brock received the award, she thanked the Rotary Club for the honor and added “I am looking forward to making my parents and teachers proud.”