Optimist awards honor local youth
TONY BROWN/DAILY FORUM
The Maryville Optimist Club on Thursday bestowed Outstanding Student Awards on four sixth-graders from all three local middle schools. Pictured from left are Paige Runnels, Horace Mann Laboratory School; Allie Adams, Maryville Middle School; Joseph Ancona, Maryville Middle School; and Kaitlyn Vaught, St. Gregory’s School.
The Maryville Optimist Club bestowed Outstanding Student awards for exceptional school citizenship during its weekly breakfast meeting Thursday at the Maryville Holiday Inn Express.
Each year, the award honors a group of local sixth-graders selected by teachers and principals.
This year’s winners, all of whom received $25 gift certificates, were Allie Adams and Joseph Ancona of Maryville Middle School; Paige Runnels of Horace Mann Laboratory School; and Kaitlyn Vaught of St. Gregory’s School.
Optimist board members Rick Smail and Lois Terhune presented the awards after Terhune read the Optimist Creed, urging the winners to follow its precept “to think only of the best, to work only for the best and expect only the best.”
Terhune said the awards were based on the Optimist mission to “bring out the best in kids.”
“This is why we do what we do, she said.”
Each of the winners was introduced by his or her school principal, and then introduced in turn family members who attended the breakfast as guests.
Smail, a Maryville Public Safety sergeant who is serving his 25th year as coordinator of the Maryville D.A.R.E. anti-drug use program, said the winners had proven themselves as “class leaders” in a community that sets a high priority on quality schools.
“We have a really good school system in Maryville,” Smail said. “It’s something to be proud of.”
In other Optimist news, the Maryville club recently recognized Maryville High School students who won first, second and third place in the organization’s annual essay contest. This year’s essay theme was “Optimism Should be a Priority.”
The winners included: first place, Payton Ternus, daughter of Jason and Dana Ternus; second place, Hannah Brod, daughter of Rex and Vicki Brod; and third place, Dominique Wiedmaier, daughter of Sean and Angela Wiedmaier.
All three students are members of the Optimist-sponsored Octagon Club.
Optimist International is one of the world’s largest service organizations and claims 75,000 adult and youth members worldwide.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Pictured are Maryville High School students selected as winners in this years Maryville Optimist Club essay contest. Shown from left are Hannah Brod, second place; Payton Ternus, first place; and Angela Wiedmaier, third place.
