Area youth honor the heroes in their lives
It was a night to honor heroes last Thursday in the Onaway High School Cafetorium. Youth from Onaway, Millersburg, Tower and Rogers City nominated a caring adult in their lives who has made a difference.
The hero, who had to be someone other than a parent or guardian, received a letter in the mail to inform them that they were to be honored at a first ever ?Heroes Among Us? banquet. Heroes invited to the special occasion included grandparents, a prayer partner, teachers, a big sister, and coaches.
Judith Reichelin, who is a dance instructor at the Cheboygan Opera House, said it was an honor to be nominated by one of her students and attend the event.
?I think it is an extreme privilege to have a young person let you know that you have made a difference,? said Reichelin. ?That is absolutely the best thing for a teacher to hear, that you made a difference in a life.?
Molly Ellenberger decided to identify Reichelin as a hero because she has always been there for her.
ONAWAY AREA SCHOOLS Family Resource Center hosted the event in partnership with local agencies and businesses. Local leaders from Onaway Schools, Presque Isle?s Promise, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Department of Human Services, Onaway business leaders, and the Presque Isle County Sheriff?s Department donned aprons and served the guests.
After dinner, keynote speaker Sam Cornelius talked about the qualities of a hero. He said a hero is someone who will stands beside you and listen, speak up when others are silent, and give of themselves and not ask anything in return. ?Not everyone is able to do that,? Cornelius said. He challenged the young people in the audience to pass the torch, much the way the heroes they were sitting with have done.
?She will pass the torch,? said Reichelin. ?I know Molly, she will. She is always looking to do something nice to do for somebody.? Rogers City grandfather Ed Neumann was surprised to receive his invitation. His grandson Austin Chojnacki, who calls Neumann ?grand pappy? said Neumann is funny and nice. They fish and ride bikes together and that is why he was nominated.
ONAWAY STUDENT Paige Lupu nominated her grandmother Kaye Porter. Lupu was attending the Presque Isle Electric Cooperative teen days, but her sister Payton joined Porter on stage to receive a certificate.
?All my grandchildren are very special. Paige has made me very proud,? said Porter. ?I think this is a wonderful program and the kids did a wonderful job and I was very happy to be a part of it.? Superintendent Bob Szymoniak said the ?Heroes Among Us? banquet was an idea discussed last fall. ?The ladies from our family resource center took it and ran with it and their goal was to build community and recognize people who make a difference in the kids lives. I thought it was a wonderful program.?
The Onaway School technology coordinator Barry Fitzpartrick organized a slide show. T
?For this area, having something like this for the first time it was excellent, to have the kids recognize somebody who is their hero,? said DARE officer Joe Brewbaker, sporting a white apron over his sheriff?s department uniform. ?Sometimes I think we forget who the kids look up to, and who their role models are. Role models are very important.?
Brewbaker was pleased to see such a variety of nominees. He noted that OHS football coach Tony Hoffmeyer was nominated by Victoria Penny.
Members of the Family Resource Center believe young people will more than likely do well in school, volunteer in the community, value diversity, and make positive decisions for themselves if they have someone other than their parents/guardians making a difference in their lives.