The Rotary Club of Westerville, which sponsors a Student of the Month program, recognized recipients at a luncheon at Villa Milano held on January 3. January students are: Chandler Burton, Westerville Central High School; Dominic Baer, Westerville North; Sharif Stone, Westerville South; and Paige Plesich, St. Francis DeSales.
The purpose of the program is twofold: to recognize outstanding students who have distinguished themselves by serving their school and to expose them to the Rotary Club and its ideal of “Service Above Self.” Students selected join Rotarians for lunch every week for a month, and have the opportunity to interact with members.
Chandler Burton, a senior at Westerville Central, holds a 3.65 grade point average (GPA). She enjoys studying Language Arts and Psychology. Burton is a member of the National Honor Society and the Renaissance Club. She reads morning announcements and teaches swimming lessons to Special Olympians. She has participated in Honor Flight activities, the Lawrence Funderburke Foundation, Autism Walks and school cleanup activities. The four-year scholar-athlete was named Student of the Month twice, and she lettered in cheerleading, lacrosse, choir and academics. She plans to study Communications at the University of Tennessee.
Dominic Baer, a senior at Westerville North, holds a 3.7 GPA. His favorite subjects are Music and Government and he participates in his school’s jazz band. He also plays piano at his church, at two colleges, and in the Columbus Youth Jazz Ensemble. He is a dancer (popper and break dancing) and also plays basketball. Baer is a member of North’s Breakfast Club and earned top honors in Chemistry. He plans to pursue Music or Business in college.
Spanish and Humanities are Sharif Stone’s favorite subjects of study at Westerville South, where he holds a 3.64 GPA. The senior is active in theater and the Key Club, and is a School Ambassador who tutors Spanish. He had the lead role in the All Ohio Show for Theater. He is also a Junior Mentor who gives dance and vocal lessons. Stone is a National Achievement Scholarship Semi-Finalist. He plans to study Musical Theater.
Paige Plesich, a senior at St. Francis DeSales, has earned a 3.856 GPA. Math and Science are her favorite classes. At school she is involved in lacrosse, where she served as captain for two years, the Spanish Club, the Math Club, and T.A.C.K. Community involvement includes volunteering at the Mid Ohio Food Bank, Special Olympics, and helping lead lacrosse clinics for middle school students. Plesich is a member of the National Honor Society and is a four-year lacrosse varsity letter winner. She will play lacrosse at Wheeling Jesuit University while majoring in Biology and pursuing a doctorate in Physical Therapy.