May 17, 20122011 Optimist Club Awards
Optimist Club Award Winners
Courtesy The Post-Journal
June 27, 2011
The Jamestown Optimist Club presented its 63rd annual Optimist Junior Citizen Awards to 28 students from throughout Chautauqua County. The luncheon was held at the Winifred Crawford Dibert Boys & Girls Club of Jamestown, attended by the award recipients, family members and school and organization representatives.
Mayor Samuel Teresi (far left) offered a welcome and remarks prior to the luncheon. Event Chair and Optimist Club Past President Jeff Kroon acknowledged the families, schools and community organizations for their support of the students being recognized.
Chautauqua Opportunities Executive Director Roberta Keller was the keynote speaker, discussing the value of personal growth through strategic thinking and positive actions and the impact that can result within families and communities when the young people focus their efforts and energies on first improving their own lives, setting goals and taking intentional steps toward achieving their goals.
The Optimist Junior Citizen award recognizes good citizenship, scholarship, athletic achievement, character and leadership in Middle and High School students. The recipients represented school districts and youth agencies throughout Chautauqua County.
The 2011 honorees were as follows:
Ryan Anderson, BOCES Hewes Educational Center; Arturo Rodriguez, BOCES Hewes Educational Center; Zack Whippo, BOCES Hewes Educational Center; Kailah Andersen, Cassadaga Valley Middle School: Kayla Franchina, Cassadaga Valley High School; Rachel Moller, Catholic Academy of the Holy Family; Amanda Dimmer, Chautauqua Lake Central School; William Blakey, Chautauqua Striders; Kaitlyn White, Clymer Central School; Natasha Booth, Clymer Central School; Shaquille Pearson, Dept. of Youth Services-Jamestown; Rafael Muller, Jr., Dunkirk High School; Alexis Torres, Eastside Family YMCA; Alexa Marucci, Falconer Central School; Nicole Weber, Frewsburg Central School; Jacob Caldwell, Frewsburg Central School; Alex Glazier, Infinity Visual & Performing Arts; Chad Nelson, Jefferson Middle School; Sarah Gibson, Persell Middle School; Max Eimiller, Washington Middle School; J. Christopher Carlson, Jamestown High School; Emma Franczak, Maple Grove Junior High School; Jeffrey Hatch, Maple Grove Senior High School; Abigail Taylor, Panama Central Middle School; Elizabeth Paterniti, Panama Central High School; Collin Hanson, Southwestern Middle School; Gabrielle Knappenberger Westfield Central Middle School; Rachael Rugg, WCD Boys & Girls Club of Jamestown.
The Jamestown Optimist Club's mission is to provide services and programming for youth. For information about meeting times, membership or programs offered, please contact Jamestown Optimist Club Past President Cindy Conner at 488-9663.