Twenty-four Oxford students were honored May 14 for their good deeds, community service and selfless attitude towards others as part of Oxford-Addison Youth Assistance’s (OAYA) Annual Youth Recognition Ceremony held at Christ the King Church.
Honorees included students from all five elementary schools as well as the middle and high schools.
Clear Lake Elementary’s service team, known as the Peacemakers, was honored for all its out-of-school service projects, which involved helping the Bortz Senior Center, Oxford-Orion FISH and the Oxford K-9 Stray Rescue League.
Peacemakers include Christian Corrion, Emilee Knop, Carlie dela Paz, Kennedy Orr, Christina Medici, Megan Krigner, Jonah Grove and Sidney Hamen.
Clear Lake student Graham Walker was honored for being a safety and helping kindergartners at the beginning of each day.
Matthew Sampson, of Daniel Axford Elementary, was honored for his consistent kind words, actions and gestures toward his peers and teacher. It was said he truly exemplifies what it means to live by The Golden Rule.
Lakeville Elementary was represented at the OAYA awards by Alex Craven, Patrick McMeans, Alexanderia McGill and Kaysee McGill.
On a daily basis, Craven mentored a first-grader who was struggling with his reading. The boy is now reading just fine on his own and looks up to Craven as a role model.
From putting up and taking down the flag everyday to helping clean up damaged furniture and books after a water pipe burst, McMeans is considered an ‘asset? to his school. With compassion and care, he also helps teachers with younger and special needs students.
The McGills were honored for logging more hours at OAYA’s Community Garden ? rain or shine ? than all the other young people combined. They also helped distribute the fresh produce to community members.
Cody Pearson was the only honoree from Leonard Elementary. He helps cut, sell and deliver fire wood, from which all the proceeds are donated to Leonard’s PTO. Over the last three years, he’s raised more than $1,500.
Oxford Elementary boasted five OAYA honorees who are all members of the school’s Green Team ? Logan Bruni, Will Horne, Alex Windeler, Gordon Denzler and Drew Sedam.
Each week the team visits all the school’s classrooms to encourage energy and water conservation, reduction of waste and recycling. Each classroom’s eco-progress is regularly monitored and graded.
Oxford Middle Schooler Jenna Saigh was honored for starting an after-school club for sixth-grade girls called ‘Pure Rush.? It focuses on making positive choices and creating healthy, supportive relationships.
Miranda Jones, also of OMS, does volunteer work for veterans and at nursing homes. She was recently elected as Honorary Junior President of the American Legion for the State of Michigan.
Jones selected the Michigan Youth Challenge Academy at Fort Cluster in Battle Creek as her special project and will lead fund-raising efforts to benefit it.
Oxford High’s Jason Bennett was honored for spending the last 1? years volunteering for the 127th Wing Youth Program at Selfridge Air National Guard Base.
From her voluntary tutoring of other students in math and English over the last two years to her involvement in honors level choir, Kathleen Cardinell, also from OHS, is always eager to listen, learn and help others.