The Rotary Club of Westerville, which sponsors a Student of the Month program, recognized recipients at a luncheon at the Medallion Club held on Thursday, December 11. December students are: Ladan Barnes, Westerville North High School; Ali Chaudhry, Westerville South High School; and Mackenzie Kraker, St. Francis DeSales High School.
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.
Ladan Barnes, a senior at Westerville North, holds a 3.9 grade point average (GPA). Science and Language Arts are her favorite subjects of study. She runs the school’s International Club and serves on the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee. She is an ESL tutor, a Mas Masjid volunteer, and has participated in community clean ups. Barnes earned the YWCA Bright Futures Scholarship award and The Ohio State University’s Muslim Student Association’s Intern Award. She hopes to attend OSU or Otterbein University, where she will major in Women’s Gender and Sexuality on a pre-med track.
Ali Chaudhry, a junior at Westerville South High School, is a foreign exchange student from Pakistan. He holds a 4.0 GPA and enjoys studying Math, English and Physics. This scholar athlete participates in choir, engages in debate, and considers himself to be an ambassador of his country. He will be studying in this country for one year, and was featured in the local newspaper about his American experience. He hopes to become a computer software engineer and would like to host a TV show about diverse cultures in our world. He is passionate about teaching others about the Pakistani culture and making the most of his time here.
Mackenzie Kraker is a senior at St. Francis DeSales High School. She has earned a 4.385 GPA and her favorite classes are Chemistry, Physics, and Advanced Biology (Anatomy). She is President of Stallions for Life; an officer in the Math Club; involved in Peer Ministry; a member of the National Honor Society, Marching Band, the Engineering Club and the Junior Classical League (Latin Club). She volunteers at the Veritas Youth Group, Ohio Right to Life Community Outreach, the Women’s Care Center, OSU Hospital East; and has raised money for the Pregnancy Decision Health Center. Kraker has received a number of academic awards, including the Freshman Academic Merit Scholarship, four quarter Honor Roll every year, a Social Studies award, and the Patricia Botti Memorial Latin Scholarship. She is also a National Merit Semi-Finalist. She will study Chemical or Biomedical Engineering in college.