Why we do ‘Students of the Month’
Ever wonder why the Rotary Club of Westerville sponsors our Students of the Month throughout each school year?
It’s because – if you haven’t been paying attention – we’ve got some awesome kids in this community! It’s a pleasure to honor those chosen by our local high schools each month from October through June.
Four students – one each from Westerville Central, North and South, and St. Francis DeSales – attend our first weekly meeting of the month. We spring for lunch and they become part of our meeting program for the day, telling us about themselves, their studies and their hopes for the future.
I’m always impressed, as I know you are. We usually get to meet their parents as well. Thanks to Janet Withers for serving as out longtime coordinator of this great program. And of course, thanks to the Westerville school district for choosing the students and allowing us to recognize their hard work and good citizenship.
Last year, we started a new bonus to the program. We chose one of the year’s SOTM for a small monetary award. The $250 went to Forlefac Fontem, who was the SOTM from Westerville South for December 2016.
I bring this all up because we received a wonderful surprise this week. Unsolicited, a great thank you letter to the club arrived via our website – from Forlefac! It came in yesterday, Sept. 16 and provides a nice update on what he is doing now. The young man graduated with honors from South in May and this fall, he heads to Ohio State to pursue a degree in Computer Science and Engineering.
With that, I’m going to stop writing and share Forlefac’s letter. Don’t know about you, but this makes me really look forward to hosting our next group of Students of the Month in October … and throughout the new school year.
Forlefac’s letter
Dear Westerville Rotary Foundation,
Forlefac Fontem
I want to just thank everyone who is participating in the Westerville Rotary Club. Without wonderful groups like these many students in America would not be able to get scholarships to fund their college education.
It is truly a blessing to know that there are wonderful people in this world who are willing to support hard working students in their effort to get a college education. Not only do you guys contribute to students, but also to the Westerville Community.
Without the help of groups like this, Westerville would not be as great of a community as it is now. Just more information about me: I am a Westerville South High school graduate, and I will be attending The Ohio State University this fall as a freshman. I will be majoring in Computer Science and Engineering.
I was selected as Westerville Rotary Club Student of the Month in December of 2016. Thank you again for the wonder scholarship donation you have given me recently in order to help me pay for my college education.
Sincerely,
Forlefac Fontem
Thanks for writing, Forlefac, and good luck at OSU!
Lisa Janszen is 2017-18 President of the Rotary Club of Westerville.