Tri-Cities Exchange Club Honors Students Who Strive for Excellence Despite Obstacles

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Ten local high school seniors were honored Tuesday by the Tri-Cities Exchange Club for showing effort and determination to overcome challenges and graduate with their classes.

The 16th annual ACE (Accepting the Challenge of Excellence) Awards breakfast at Andre’s restaurant in Batavia showcased two students each from Mooseheart, St. Charles East, St. Charles North and Geneva high schools, as well as one from Batavia High School and Mades Johnstone Center.

“These students were not dealt an easy hand,” said club member Tom Dearing, who organizes the ACE Awards program. “They have overcome emotional, physical, social or cultural obstacles that have been put in their path.”

The club’s ACE program annually honors students who were nominated by teachers or school counselors to receive recognition for the extraordinary effort to reach the goal of graduation.

The 2011 recipients of the ACE awards were:

Henriettee Princess Gbane and Colton Bullock of Mooseheart High School; Megan Roady and Will Niewold of St. Charles East High School; Gloria Fisher and Andy Rodriguez of St. Charles North High School; Cesar Corral and Yitzhak Perez of Geneva High School; Alysha Temmerman of Batavia High School; and Juan Chavez of Mades Johnstone Center.

The Tri-Cities Exchange Club focuses on four national programs—prevention of child abuse, community service, Americanism and youth. The ACE Awards represent the club’s youth program.

More information about the club’s programs and becoming a member or making donations to the club is available at tcexchangeclub.com.

Article and photo are courtesy of the Tri-Cities Exchange Club.