The Rotary Club of Westerville recognized February 2020 Students of the Month during its luncheon Feb. 6 at the Villa Milano Banquet and Conference Center. During the school year (October through May), the Club honors four students from local high schools each month. Working with the school principals and counselors, one student each month is chosen from Westerville Central, Westerville North, Westerville South and St. Francis DeSales. The students, their parents and the school administrators are introduced and honored at our first weekly luncheon each month.
February 2020 honoree profiles
Westerville Central: Muheeb Hijazeem – A junior at Central, Muheeb said his favorite subjects are chemistry, math and American Government. He is a member of Central’s Interact Club, Key Club and Renaissance Club, and is a member of the Westerville Student Education Foundation. In January, Muheeb was awarded the Fouse Award by Leadership Westerville’s Martin Luther King Celebration committee. He has worked to raise more than $5,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and was awarded Central’s Golden Service Award for volunteering more than 20 hours of community service in a year. Muheeb, who moved to the United States in 2015, hopes to attend Stanford or Ohio State universities and study chemical engineering and political science
Westerville North: Eli DeTemple – Eli’s favorite subjects at North are physics, math and chemistry. The senior has played on North’s wrestling squad and cross-country team, where he has served as team captain, on the way to earning five varsity letters and 10 scholar athlete awards. He also participates in Senior Mentors and Westerville Unified Youth Wrestling. He’s been recognized with North’s Academic Excellence award in Science and four times for Academic Excellence. Eli plans to attend Bowling Green State University and major in physics/chemistry education.
Westerville South: Lily Pestorius – Lily’s favorite subjects at South, where she is a senior, are physics, science, engineering and math. She participates in theater, cross-country and track, and was named a 2019 OCC Scholar Athlete in cross-country. She is a Global Scholars Diploma candidate, member of the National Honor Society and part of the PLTW Engineering Pathway. Lily also volunteers weekly with the Rotary I-CAN Program at Cherrington Elementary and at My Very Own Blanket. Lily hopes to major in mechanical or aerospace engineering at the University of Dayton, the University of Cincinnati or The Ohio State University.
St. Francis DeSales: Aaron Spittell – Aaron is a senior at DeSales, where his favorite subjects are history, psychology and anatomy. He is captain of the school’s swim team, member of the National Honor Society, the Run the Race Club, a Kairos Retreat Leader and volunteer swim coach. Aaron is a four-time District qualifier and two-time All-CCL athlete in swimming. He also is a four-year honor roll student and member of the Latin National Honor Society. Aaron plans to study nursing in college, at either Otterbein or Wright State universities.