×

Kids With A Cause Honored By CLN

Kids With a Cause members accepted their CLN Youth Leadership Award over the summer. Pictured are: Kneeling: Bradley Galeazzo, Christian Pumford Back row: Dan Heitzenrater President CLN, Jeff Smith (presenter), Dr. Lillian Ney (presenter), Dawn Eklum (adviser), Denise DeAngelo (adviser), Aryianna Brady, Abby Brunenavs, Siena DeAngleo, Madeline DeJoy, Cecilia Eklum, Alexandra Gren, Cecelia Johnson Missing from photo: Natalie Reinhardted and Annika Spitzer. Submitted photo

Last summer, members of Kids With a Cause (KWAC) were honored as the Chautauqua Leadership Network’s Student Leader of the Year Award winners. KWAC members, Ayrianna Brady, Abby Brunenavs, Siena DeAngelo, Madeline DeJoy, Cecelia (CeCe) Eklum, Bradley Galeazzo, Alexandra Gren, Cecelia Johnson, Christian Pumford, Natalie Reinhardt and Annika Spitzer were from Washington Middle School with one student from Maple Grove. KWAC began in 2015 with an idea at lunchtime in the Washington cafeteria.

“We wanted to help our community and make a difference,” said CeCe Eklum, who is now a freshman at JHS. “We thought it was good to take an interest in the world around us and it is a way to think about others rather than yourself.”

The students chose organizations to donate and volunteer their time. Some of the local organizations helped included: St. Susan’s Center, the Chautauqua County Humane Society, Toys 4 Tots, Jamestown Creche, St. James Italian Festival and Rogers School Playground. KWAC raised over $3,000 for St. Susan’s Center and the Chautauqua County Humane Society through yard sales, provided a children’s corner at St. Susan’s bag raffle, tied bags for Creche Tag Days and volunteered at a Lutheran Social Services event.

“I was so impressed by what these kids accomplished that I needed to nominate them for the award,” said Dr. Lillian Ney. “Personally, I think that the efforts of students like those in KWAC, which have worked through many hours of service to their local community, should be recognized and celebrated.”

The Chautauqua Leadership Network gives out awards to area leaders every year.

“The Student Leadership Award is presented to a student or group of students who have distinguished themselves through service to their school and their community and demonstrated excellence, leadership, personal integrity and dedication to their school,” said Daniel Heitzenrater, CLN Board President. “They have dedicated countless hours to benefit many good deeds in the community. We are lucky to have thoughtful, young leaders like those in KWAC as part of our community.”

The students realized the importance of their award.

“I thought this was such an honor from CLN,” said CeCe. “To see all of the other amazing award recipients and what they did for the community, it made us feel really good to realize we were in their company.”

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today