Mustang Awards, Students

In an effort to combine recognition with character education, the Marcellus Senior High School (MSHS) Character Education Committee presented the eighth annual Mustang Awards for Students at a ceremony held at the May 3, 2011 Marcellus Schools’ Board of Education meeting. The purpose of these special awards is to recognize staff members, students, and community members who consistently demonstrate the high school character trait motto of “Integrity, Tenacity, and Community”. Staff members are selected by students, students are selected by staff recipients, and community members are selected by previous recipients and the Character Education Committee. Staff members Ellen Schneider, Stephanie Fox and Tom Shea were honored at a ceremony held in February and community members will be honored in June. Congratulations go out to the following 2011 Student Mustang Award Recipients (with nominating statements):

Chris Charles: “Chris exemplifies the best and brightest in Marcellus. He is an individual of outstanding character, committed to making our school and community a better place. Anyone who knows Chris will attest to his sincerity, kindness, and compassion. The ideals of the Mustang Award-Integrity, Tenacity, and Community-are all present in this fine young man. He shows integrity by living according to his principles, tenacity by persevering through challenges and community by getting involved. His varied interests and contributions are evident through his involvement in interscholastic sports, the school band, and his church. Chris is a valuable and active part of the Marcellus Character Education group. Quiet, steady, and a leader by example, it is undeniable that Chris makes Marcellus a better place. The respect and high regard he has earned from his peers, coaches, and teachers make him a deserving recipient of the Mustang Award.

Erika Nelson: Erika’s integrity, tenacity, and character are represented in everything that she does. In the classroom, she is focused and dedicated. When she finds material difficult, she pushes herself independently to learn the material as well as dedicating time after school to get any extra help that she needs. She is always first to volunteer to help fellow students with material they are struggling with or to help the teacher pass back papers or clean up a mess. She is a valuable volunteer at the Samaritan Center. She is always willing to jump in and help wherever she is needed beyond what is required by her job assignment. It is very clear that Erika’s passion is helping others. In addition to the Samaritan Center, she can be found volunteering in the library, at class activities like the Haunted House and the Car Wash, or designing the program for the All School Show. In addition to her dedication to academics, volunteering, and student activities she also finds time to hold a part-time job and spend time with her family, for whom she cares deeply. She is very involved in making Marcellus High School a great place to be.

Faith Seeley: Faith is an unbelievable student, athlete, and individual. Faith has an immense passion for learning and strives to give her best at all times in every area of her life. She has an uncanny ability to make connections about what she is learning in the classroom and most importantly she takes her learning beyond the four walls of a classroom and into the world at large. There is a genuine sincerity that Faith expresses when seeking out and speaking about the plight of others. Likewise, there is an authentic compassion that resides in Faith that is cushioned in sincere humility. These attributes, among many others, are what draws friends and teachers to Faith. She is a true model of integrity, tenacity and community.