Viewfinder: Hartland Optimist Club Honors Area Youth
About 130 kids were recognized during a recent ceremony.
Photos
About 130 kids from ages 6 and up were honored in the Youth Appreciation Ceremony by the Hartland Optimist Club last week for exhibiting exemplary qualities of sharing, caring and respect, as well as being positive role models.
The honorees were nominated by friends, family and teachers.
Keynote speaker Gabrielle Ford praised the honorees during the April 21 event at the Hartland Educational Support Service Center, giving an inspiring talk advising them to “try to see the good in everybody and be the best person that you can be.”
Ford, a Fenton resident who is a motivational speaker against bullying, has Friedreich’s Ataxia, a rare genetic neuromuscular disease that resulted in her needing to use a wheelchair, according to her bio on her website. She rose to prominence after speaking out on behalf of her dog, Izzy, that developed a disease with symptoms similar to her own that later to a book, Still Dancing, the site said.
Judy Cowan, Steve Livingway and Scott VanEpps introduced each recipient by reading a short description while Kevin Kaszyca, president of the Hartland Board of Education, presented each honoree an award.
| Honorees | Grade | |
| Makayla Baran | K | |
| Jake Beaudoin | K |
|
| Isaac Frantti | K |
|
| Lauryn Howard | K |
|
| Wyatt Sackrider | K |
|
| Landon Sytsema | K |
|
| Kenneth Armor | 1 | |
| Alexa Darbe | 1 | |
| Alexa Dues | 1 | |
| Blake Higgins | 1 | |
| Shelby Hopson | 1 | |
| Abigail Jordan | 1 | |
| Gracey Metz | 1 | |
| Bryce Natter | 1 | |
| Riley Neil | 1 | |
| Amanda Roach | 1 | |
| Jeanna Schmanski | 1 | |
| Joshua Wiater | 1 | |
| Emma Nadeau | 2 | |
| Ella Schleuter | 2 | |
| Ella Mott | 3 | |
| Grayce Nist | 3 | |
| Alex Acs | 4 | |
| Megan Acs | 4 | |
| Kelly Bist | 4 | |
| Jessica Callaghan | 4 | |
| Brooke Cowan | 4 | |
| Jennie Cunningham | 4 | |
| Katie Grech | 4 | |
| Keegan Harkins | 4 | |
| Brady Johns | 4 | |
| Rylee Jones | 4 | |
| Jacob Klamo | 4 | |
| Laya Lobbestael | 4 | |
| Michael Meritt | 4 | |
| Cameron Miller | 4 | |
| Jerzy Muscat | 4 | |
| Tiger Page | 4 | |
| Danny Parisien | 4 | |
| Robbie Perry | 4 | |
| Joseph Pezzotti | 4 | |
| Devon Pietila | 4 | |
| Julia Seng | 4 | |
| Belle Sophabmisay | 4 | |
| Vita Sprader | 4 | |
| Mackenzie Spurlock | 4 | |
| Amanda Watters | 4 | |
| Lauren Way | 4 | |
| Cory Barringer | 5 | |
| Kala Barringer | 5 | |
| Denton Paul | 5 | |
| Tony Rizzo | 5 | |
| Michaela Conrad | 6 | |
| Brendan Dickey | 6 | |
| Landin Diegel | 6 | |
| Meghan Economou | 6 | |
| Tommy Eddy | 6 | |
| Iain Fuller | 6 | |
| Ray Kennedy | 6 | |
| Katie Kolm | 6 | |
| Tiffany Nogoy | 6 | |
| Mackenzie Robinson | 6 | |
| Kyle VanHouten | 6 | |
| Bryan Barringer | 7 | |
| Jake Bokuniewicz | 7 | |
| Marcus Brown | 7 | |
| Andrew Chant | 7 | |
| Noelle Eddy | 7 | |
| Kelli Elmore | 7 | |
| Brian Heinonen | 7 | |
| Mackenzie Kline | 7 | |
| Jake Lividini | 7 | |
| Emily Rex | 7 | |
| Anna Thompson | 7 | |
| Nicole Tshirret | 7 | |
| Dayla Balistreri | 8 | |
| Tammy Barringer | 8 | |
| Megan Carlsen | 8 | |
| Remi Cartier | 8 | |
| Amanda Colquitt | 8 | |
| Katelyn Debruyn | 8 | |
| Damian Forslund | 8 | |
| Tom Heinonen | 8 | |
| Nick Jeffrey | 8 | |
| Kaleigh Loveday | 8 | |
| Kaitlyn Luce | 8 | |
| Sarah Michaud | 8 | |
| Charlotte Morse | 8 | |
| Francesca Nestor | 8 | |
| Anthony Perfetto | 8 | |
| Shoshana Reynolds | 8 | |
| Bethany Schira | 8 | |
| Chena Schleuter | 8 | |
| Alyse Schneider | 8 | |
| Jenna Smith | 8 | |
| Kenny Tate | 8 | |
| Alexander Thompson | 8 | |
| Chris Bee | 8 | |
| Faye Bontekoe | 8 | |
| Chris Cencer | 8 | |
| Angela Karroma | 8 | |
| Courtney Lobbestael | 8 | |
| Kara Micallef | 8 | |
| Jacob Popp | 8 | |
| Shannon Sulkowski | 8 | |
| Haley Thomas | 8 | |
| George Barringer | 9 | |
| Cody Debruyn | 9 | |
| Carmen Eddy | 9 | |
| Victoria Bosio | 9 | |
| John Geise | 10 | |
| Jacob Lawrence | 10 | |
| Destiny Oliver | 10 | |
| Brooke Diener | 11 | |
| Jared Libbrecht | 11 | |
| Jordan Quinn | 12 | |
| Ashley Chalut | 12 | |
| Janeen Dusseau | 12 | |
| Benjamin Jacoby | 12 | |
| Taylor Jayne | 12 | |
| Nick Long | 12 | |
| Lexee Longwell | 12 | |
| April Militzer | 12 | |
| Ryan Parker | 12 | |
| Katie Tackett | 12 | |
| Austin Truchan | 12 | |
| Amanda Watkins | 12 | |
| Cheyenne Wright | 12 | |
Amy Roach
2:30 pm on Thursday, April 28, 2011
This was our first time having an honoree and attending the ceremony. It was a fantastic experience to see all of those children commended for their outstanding efforts in the community. Love it. I am very pround of my Amanda and all the kids honored.
diane
9:45 am on Friday, April 29, 2011
It's wonderful to see that we have so many young people being recognized for performing acts of kindness and trying to be the best that they can be. I give kudos to their leaders and to Hartland Patch for highlighting these youngsters and their exceptional achievements.