The Exchange Club of West Hartford celebrated achievement awards and scholarships to several local students.

Submitted

The Exchange Club of West Hartford recently held its annual student awards dinner at the Rockledge Grille. The membership came together to celebrate the achievements of three West Hartford students who exemplified the characteristics worthy of their selection as 2024 Youth Of The Year or as the 2024 Francis L. Sullivan Award winner.

The Youth Of The Year Award is given to a senior from both Conard and Hall High Schools who displayed various characteristics of leadership, scholarship and who demonstrated a commitment to service to their high school and the West Hartford community at large.

Jaydon Schuler, son of Brian and Judy Schuler, was selected as the Youth Of The Year recipient from Conard High School.

Arelys Marie Ballestas, daughter of Mabel Santiago, was selected as Youth Of The Year from Hall High School.

Both student recipients were presented commemorative plaques and a monetary award during the event.

The Francis L. Sullivan Award is given to a senior, from either Conard or Hall High Schools, who shows strong academic achievement, participation in extracurricular and/or community activities and demonstrated a singular dedication in pursuit of their personal goals.

Sarah Punt, daughter of Douglas and Laura Punt, a senior at Hall High School, was selected as this year’s Francis L. Sullivan Award recipient. A commemorative plaque and a monetary award was presented to her.

Exchange Club Youth Of The Year Committee Chair, Marty Keena, lauded the accomplishments of the three students. As a retired West Hartford teacher, Keena shared with those assembled how difficult it was to select these three individual students and their accomplishments amidst a nationally ranked school district, where multiple opportunities abound and so many talented students take advantage of them.

The evening’s meeting adjourned with the membership of the Exchange Club feeling confident that the mission of Exchange, to inspire communities to become better places to live, will be in good hands with young citizens such as these.

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