Rotary Youth
Awards
The Annual Youth Awards Program
recognizes 40 Madison area high school seniors in the following
categories: Academic Achievement, Community Service (including
Fay J. Meade Award), Junior and Senior Academic Improvement,
Outstanding Senior Award, Student Judges, Wilson Sophomore
Academic Improvement Awards, and Youth Leadership. The students
receive certificates and monetary awards.
The Academic Achievement Awards are
presented to the students who earn the highest grade point average of
their graduating classes.
The Community Service Awards are
presented to those graduating seniors who provide exemplary community
service throughout their high school careers. Awardees are selected
based on the quantity, quality, and consistency of community service
they have provided during their high school years.
The Fay J. Meade Award is given as
a scholarship (to be used toward college tuition or vocational training)
to a graduating senior who has made a significant difference in a
community program, community activity or life of an individual, through
community service. The Fay J. Meade award is distinct from other Rotary
Community Service Awards in that it places the emphasis on the impact of
an individual’s action above the length of service, or quantity of
service provided by applicants. Fay J. Meade was a member of Rotary for
more than 30 years. He served as President of both the Madison Rotary
Club, as well as the Madison Rotary Club Foundation. He received the
Paul Harris Fellow award – Rotary’s highest honor. The Fay J. Meade
Community Service Award was created by a designated gift from Mr.
Meade’s daughters to the Rotary Foundation.
The Junior and Senior Academic
Improvement Awards are presented to students based on grade point
average improvement and evaluation of other factors that may have an
impact on academic success (home environment, economic status,
employment, etc.)
The Outstanding Senior Awards are
ranked from first to third place based on the following criteria:
Academic Achievement
Grade point average and academic
improvement will be considered in this criterion.
Community Service
The quantity, quality, and consistency of
community service throughout high school are key components of this
criterion.
School Service
The quantity, quality, and consistency of
school service are key components of this criterion:
Leadership
Has the nominee exemplified leadership?
If so, how?
- The Rotary Four-Way
Test
Members of Rotary adopt a motto of
“Service Above Self,” and use the “Four-Way Test” to evaluate what they
think, say, and do. The test includes four questions:
1) Is it the TRUTH?
2) Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3) Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER
FRIENDSHIPS?
4) Will it be BENEFICIAL to all
concerned?
The nominees are judged on these
principles. For example, does the nominee endeavor to provide the
truth, is the nominee fair in his/her actions, etc.
Student Judges are selected from
the high schools to work with members of the Rotary Youth Awards
Committee in selecting the Community Service Award recipients.
The Wilson Sophomore Academic
Improvement Awards are made possible due to the generosity of Mike
and Pat Wilson and are presented to sophomores. Two criteria are used in
determining the most appropriate recipient of the award: grade point
average improvement and evaluation of other factors that may have an
impact on academic success (home environment, economic status,
employment, etc.). With a strong interest in helping youth in our
community to succeed, Mike and Pat Wilson made a generous contribution
to the Madison Rotary Foundation to establish the annual Wilson
Sophomore Academic Improvement Awards category. Mike Wilson has been a
member of our Rotary club since 1987. He has maintained 100% attendance
for over 11 years, and he received a Paul Harris Fellow for this
accomplishment. He served on the Foundation’s Scholarship Committee,
the Club Board of Directors and is a past chair of the Club’s Youth
Awards Committee. Mike’s wife, Pat, shares his interest in wanting to
recognize youth for their accomplishments.
The Youth Leadership Award is
presented to one student who will attend a youth leadership conference
meeting at Camp Manito-wish, Boulder Junction, Wisconsin, in the spring
of the year that the award is given. The objective is to offer
outstanding high school sophomores an opportunity to live, work and
interact in an atmosphere of collaboration which will be structured with
programs such as group discussions, career guidance, high and low
challenge courses, ethics and contemporary problems. The greatest
benefit will come from sharing this experience with approximately 75
other outstanding students from high schools across Wisconsin.
Applications for the Youth Awards
categories listed above are available through participating Madison area
high school guidance counselors.
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