With senior class activities, studying for finals and finishing the final school year at Clarkston High School, seniors Jenna Hart and Matthew Pruente are busy. However, Hart and Pruente weren’t too busy to enjoy breakfast with community leaders and accept their titles as Clarkston’s Young Person of the Year.
Hart and Pruente were each named Young Person of the Year as part of the 19th annual Michigan Week Community awards breakfast on May 19. The event was sponsored by the Clarkston Area Chamber of Commerce and recognized outstanding local residents who go out of their way to make a difference.
Hart and Pruente are examples of that dedication.
Graduating in the top 20 of her class, Hart has been very active at CHS and throughout the community over the past four years.
‘I like using the gifts God has given me. What better way to spend your time than to help the community,? Hart said.
Working with the church community has been a passion of Hart’s. Over the past five years, Hart has volunteered at St. Daniel’s as a preschool teacher. Hart has also spent the past two summers working with mission trips to renovate worn-down homes in Tennessee.
‘When you actually start working in the community, you get to know so many people,? Hart said. ‘It gives you a feeling of accomplishment.?
Music is another passion of Hart’s. A member of the CHS Madrigals and an accomplished bassoonist, Hart auditioned for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra last year and was asked to join its youth branch.
Because of a commitment as a drum major at CHS, Hart wasn’t able to accept the offer, but was still thrilled at the opportunity.
‘It was nice to hear, a good thing,? Hart said.
Hart hopes to continue her music studies at the University of Michigan this fall when she starts a double major in bassoon performance and music education.
Working in the community is an activity that Hart believes not only gets residents involved, but allows for intergenerational relationships to develop, a fact crucial for young people in today’s society.
‘Just because you’re younger it doesn’t mean things can’t be done,? Hart said. ‘It’s important to voice your opinions responsibly.?
Joining Hart as Young Person of the Year was Pruente, a fellow senior at CHS.
‘For everything a person does, someone sees the benefit. That makes the community so much better,? Pruente said.
With a 4.0 GPA and a list of extracurricular and community involvement a few pages long, Pruente will graduate on June 2 from CHS as the number one student in the class of 2004.
One of Pruente’s most important involvements was his participation with the MathCounts program at Clarkston Middle School. Pruente dedicated two hours after school every week since October 2003 to the program.
‘You see the direct results of your efforts,? Pruente said of participating with the program. ‘It’s not just collecting cans and giving it to someone else.?
Just a few of the many positions Pruente has held while at CHS included a peer mediator, Junior Optimist club president, Clarkston Coalition for Youth board member and a senior class representative.
In addition to keeping busy at CHS, Pruente also volunteers at St. Daniel’s and is currently dual enrolled at Oakland University/Oakland Community College to study math and English.
Pruente was recently recognized by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation as one of the nation’s most outstanding high school seniors. Pruente beat 80,000 other students to make it into the awarded representatives and received a $4,000 regional Coca-Cola scholarship for college.
‘The award recognizes me a well-rounded student,? Pruente said. ‘It’s the whole instead of the parts.?
This fall, Pruente will head off to Michigan State University.
For both Hart and Pruente, the dedication to help others started early and is an attitude they hope others can experience.
‘Give it a try. Try it once and you’ll see why so many people continue to give their time and effort to the community,? Pruente said.