Several high school and middle school students at Notre Dame were honored this year for their achievements in various areas.
In photography and design, two seniors received special honors. Lauren Hillyer won the Josten’s photography award for her photograph entitled “Window.” Tony Huffman won third place in the 1A state yearbook design competition for his composition of the football pages in the 2011 ND yearbook.
Scholarship awards went to senior Jameson Skalinski, who won the local Optimist Club’s essay contest, and juniors MaryKate Brueck and Warren Snook were the first place finishers in the club’s oratorical competition.
Among the prestigious awards seniors can receive is the Daughters of the American Revolution’s “Good Citizen Award,” presented to those who exemplify dependability, service, leadership and patriotism. Notre Dame’s nominee, selected by the faculty, is Grace Deery. Grace won at both the local and district level. Her entry has now advanced to the state competition.
Grace will also be honored by Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and by the Des Moines Register with awards of excellence and achievement.
On April 29, Grace will attend the 2012 Governor’s Scholar Recognition Ceremony in Des Moines with the top students from other Iowa high schools. Honorees were selected based not only on academic standing, but also on leadership, extracurricular involvement and service.
Other patriotic honors were awarded to several ND middle school students. Two of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) “Patriot’s Pen” district essay contest winners were from Notre Dame: seventh-grader Mary Rose Roundy and eighth-grader Maggie Brueck.
Middle school students earned honors in social studies projects as well. The Iowa State National History Day competition, to be held in Des Moines by the State Historical Society of Iowa on May 7, will feature four ND students competing with two entries in group and individual historical website categories. Seventh-graders Emma Carper, Zachary Rashid and Mary Rose Roundy did exhaustive research into the last days of Tsar Nicholas II and his family, and then compiled this information into an interactive website meant to inform viewers of this period in Russian history.
Sixth-grader Ashley Lohmann advanced to the state competition after submitting her website that documents the ways in which horses revolutionized human societies.
In addition, eighth-grader Delaney White advanced to competition in the 2012 Iowa National Geographic Bee March 30 at Grinnell College.
Middle school authors have also excelled. Students whose essays are being published in the Creative Communications hardcover book “Celebrating What is Important to Me” are Tigerlily Sorensen, Connor Delaney, Jack Giannettino, Carly Huffman, Adam Johs, Dylan Klossing, Rachel Langerud, Kathleen McAtee, Matthew Meeker, Bryce Riniker, Mary Rose Roundy, Emma Todd and Meghan Riley.