ACE Award with Jackie George
Jackie George introduced our three candidates for the ACE (Accepting the Challenge of Excellence, see story below) Award for 2002. The three young ladies are Lucy Mendoza, Gabriela Rodriguez and Ellen Reed. Each of these high school seniors has overcome personal obstacles and challenges to achieve success in school and are proud to be graduating this spring. All three are also planning to go on to college this fall. They each received a plaque and financial award. Our choice for the nominee to represent the Walla Walla Exchange Club at the district level is Ellen Reed, of Wa-Hi.
History of the ACE Award
The ACE (Accepting the Challenge of Excellence) Award began as the Turnaround Student of the Year Award in the late 1970s. It began in Washington state (!), and was brought to the attention of the National Exchange Club in the late 1980s, and was adopted by a few other districts. In 1992 the National Exchange Club adopted the program as the ACE Award and included it as part of the Program of Service, with a banner patch going to the clubs that recognized students in this category. In 1998 the NEC Board established criteria for the National ACE winner, with the first award made at the 2000 Convention.
The purpose of the award is to recognize students who have had problems in their lives during high school, either self-inflicted or caused by outside sources, which have caused them to fail or drop out of school. Then someone or something has helped them to turn their lives around. As a result they are graduating from high school and plan to go to college, a trade school or some sort of internship that makes it possible to support themselves and be contributing members of society.
From notes by Ed George, 2002
Greeters
Russ Kroum and Jack Pinza, Walla Walla Fire Department
Pledge
Bruce Maughn, accountant
Invocation
Linda Emmerson, Walla Walla College
Guests
Tom Elstrom, hosted by Paul Schneidmiller, World Wide Travel
Trivia
Jake Hallopeter and table were asked which of the following is NOT a fruit: rhubarb, cucumber, tomato or pumpkin. They correctly guessed rhubarb.
Convention raffle
Lonnie Ness, Valley Vision, and Sloan Kimball, Baker Boyer Bank, both drew white balls. The winnings go to $125 next week.
Announcements
Countdown to Ducky Day!
Here’s the tally for our three-week total of 3,814 ducks sold for a total of $15,915. (We’re slipping, folks. Last year we’d sold $23,930 by this time). Matt is continuing to operate in a league of his own; he’s sold $5,220 so far. Trivia: Number of individuals on each team who have turned in tickets: Callan: 7; Lackie: 8; Sweeney: 7; Seymour: 7; Pinza: 5; Elmenhurst: 3. The time to sell is NOW!
Top three teams of the week:
Seymour 190 ducks
Pinza 146 ducks
Sweeney 118 ducks
Top three grand total teams:
Callan 569 ducks
Seymour 485 ducks
Lackie 355 ducks
Top three sellers of the week:
Sheri Hodge 82 ducks
James Payne 69 ducks
Karen Adams 59 ducks
Top three grand total sellers:
Gene Adams 404 ducks
Karen Adams 255 ducks
Sheri Hodge 219 ducks
New to the prize level: Lenel Parish, Cheryl Ringering and James Payne (all T-shirts), and Teri Barker (T-shirt and hat).
Quote of the Week
“I learned that it is the weak who are cruel, and that gentleness is to be expected only from the strong.”
-Leo Rosten
