Two Community Service Award Recipients Recognized
Brianna Becker was one of two Centerville High School seniors honored Monday May 6 by Washington Township Trustees with the Township’s annual Community Service Award. Brianna currently serves as the copresident of the Centerville High School Key Club. An active volunteer with the Key Club since her freshman year, Brianna was a natural leader and quickly established herself as a dedicated and hard-working member of the club. She has faithfully volunteered at the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast each year and has been a regular presenter at the Kiwanis to report on what the Key Club has been doing. She also coordinates various service projects for the Club including Blankets for Refugees, Journals for Crayons to Classrooms, and working with the staff at St. Leonard's to decorate for Christmas.
Additionally, Brianna works alongside several other service-based organizations including Blue Star Mothers, packing snack bags for American Troops, and Centerville-Washington Park District, painting eggs and signs for their annual Spring Egg hunt.
She is also actively involved in her Jewish youth group, BBYO, where she serves on the city leadership board. "Bri always goes above and beyond and takes responsibility as a leader," says Christine Yokajty, Key Club advisor for Centerville High School. "She truly has a heart to serve the community and I can think of no other student officer who better exemplifies the qualities of Washington Township's Community Service Award."
Zachary Bell was one of two Centerville High School seniors honored Monday May 6 by Washington Township Trustees with the Township’s annual Community Service Award. Zachary has been an active volunteer with multiple organizations throughout his high school career. A member of the National Honor Society and the current president of the Octagon Club, Zachary has consistently been one of the most dedicated students in the Club.
Zachary has volunteered at the popular Optimist Club Haunted Trail event for the past three years and helped spearhead the 2020 Christmas Card activity during the pandemic. According to the Octagon Club advisor, Greg Bell, "Zachary is simply outstanding with outreach, particularly with Centerville Rehab and Retirement. He has put in more time and effort than any other Octagon Club officer or member and has logged numerous community service hours."
Outside of volunteering, Zachary is on the Centerville High School Swim and Dive team and is captain of the Ping Pong Club.
Washington Township's Community Service Award Recognizes High School Volunteers
Washington Township's Community Service Awards are given each year to two local high school student who exemplify service to the community.
Recipients receive a proclamation, recognition and, since 2018, a $1,000 scholarship to assist them on their educational path. The scholarships are funded by the four Washington Township elected officials, the Centerville High School National Honor Society, Washington Township, and Judy Blair, in memory of her husband, Terry Blair, a former Washington Township trustee and a member of the Ohio General Assembly.
Township trustees established the award in 2003 to recognize deserving student volunteers and, in the process, draw attention to the importance of public service. By recognizing students who are generous with their time, Washington Township hopes to foster an ethic of voluntarism among the next generation. Service is an important aspect of citizenship and volunteers are essential if we are to create and maintain strong, vibrant communities.
Community Service Award selection is made by the advisors of Centerville High School's four service organizations: Key Club, Octagon Club, Interact Club and National Honor Society. Recognition is given to the student who, through his or her sustained efforts, best exemplifies the spirit of service to the local, national or international community. Scholastic achievement is not a key factor in the award.