(April 6, 2017) Nine students from Pocomoke High School were honored by the Pocomoke Rotary Club during its 35th annual 4 Way Test Banquet last Monday.
Students were recognized for exhibiting character traits associated with the Rotary International’s 4 Way Test, which poses the following questions: Is it the truth; Is it fair to all concerned; Will it build goodwill and better friendships; Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
Pocomoke High School Principal Annette Wallace handed out the honors, and the evening featured guest speaker Worcester County Circuit Court Judge Brian Shockley.
The event was held at the Community Center at the Pocomoke City Volunteer Fire Company. The Women’s Auxiliary provided a chicken-and-dumpling dinner.
While the focus for educators is primarily academic, Wallace said the event carried particular importance because the Rotary also touched on another important concern.
“Equally as important to me as a principal is that our students leave us with a strong moral compass and a strong sense of character,” she said. “To not only be academically prepared, but be prepared to be good citizens to one another and good stewards of our school.”
Through the school’s partnership with the Pocomoke Rotary Club, Wallace said students who may not typically draw attention get much-deserved credit.
“It gives us the opportunity to recognize students who don’t get recognized a whole lot,” she said. “All of those students are involved in other things, but most of them sort of stand out by sort of not standing out. They’re the kids who are always doing the right thing.”
Wallace said her fellow educators nominate students who have demonstrated good judgment in line with the values imbued in the 4 Way Test.
“If you pick up the newspaper, the people who are doing the right thing, making good choices … and telling the truth, that’s not who always gets all the attention,” she said.
Each year two students, male and female, from each class are honored. This year the roster included ninth graders Carrie Treat and Marvin Mason, 10th graders Cammie Mottley and Sawyer Jester, 11th graders Destinee Johnson and Khalyl Laws, and 12th graders D’Nasia Jones and Luke Speta.
Other speakers at the awards banquet included Willie Jackson, Pocomoke Rotary president, and Pocomoke Mayor Bruce Morrison, who declared it to be “4 Way Test Week.”
The Raymond C. Dryden award was given to Pocomoke High School senior Brent Ennis. The Dryden honor, named after the now-deceased, long-time Rotarian, is given to an outstanding student who exhibits the traits embodied in the 4 Way Test.
During the school day, Ennis said he goes out of his way to greet his peers. He has also developed interpersonal skills from dealing with customers at his full-time job.
“I come to school and speak to everybody,” he said. “If you treat somebody right, they’ll treat you right.”
Ennis said he is always willing to help anyone in need.
“When anybody needs a hand I’m surely willing to give it,” he said.
Being honored by the rotary has given Ennis insight into how others view his interactions.
“It’s always a big eye opener when you win an award like that,” he said. “You realize that you’re doing something right.”
From her perspective, Wallace said while the award winners shared commonalities, they also represented a cross-section of interests.
“While they did all have a lot of extracurricular activities and things they were involved with, they all were vey different,” she said. “It was really good to get an eclectic mix of kids together that were involved in all different things.”
She also noted her deep appreciation for the rotary’s involvement at the high school.
“The idea of community involvement and giving back to your community through service organizations is kind of becoming lost in our society,” she said. “We don’t have a whole lot of people who are committed to those community organizations, so I really appreciate their continued support.”
By familiarizing students with the Pocomoke Rotary Club, she hoped the youth of today would become the civic leaders of tomorrow.
“Sometimes the most challenging students get the most attention, just because you’re tying to help them be better,” she said. “These students are the ones who can get lost in the shuffle.”
Students were recognized for exhibiting character traits associated with the Rotary International’s 4 Way Test, which poses the following questions: Is it the truth; Is it fair to all concerned; Will it build goodwill and better friendships; Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
Pocomoke High School Principal Annette Wallace handed out the honors, and the evening featured guest speaker Worcester County Circuit Court Judge Brian Shockley.
The event was held at the Community Center at the Pocomoke City Volunteer Fire Company. The Women’s Auxiliary provided a chicken-and-dumpling dinner.
While the focus for educators is primarily academic, Wallace said the event carried particular importance because the Rotary also touched on another important concern.
“Equally as important to me as a principal is that our students leave us with a strong moral compass and a strong sense of character,” she said. “To not only be academically prepared, but be prepared to be good citizens to one another and good stewards of our school.”
Through the school’s partnership with the Pocomoke Rotary Club, Wallace said students who may not typically draw attention get much-deserved credit.
“It gives us the opportunity to recognize students who don’t get recognized a whole lot,” she said. “All of those students are involved in other things, but most of them sort of stand out by sort of not standing out. They’re the kids who are always doing the right thing.”
Wallace said her fellow educators nominate students who have demonstrated good judgment in line with the values imbued in the 4 Way Test.
“If you pick up the newspaper, the people who are doing the right thing, making good choices … and telling the truth, that’s not who always gets all the attention,” she said.
Each year two students, male and female, from each class are honored. This year the roster included ninth graders Carrie Treat and Marvin Mason, 10th graders Cammie Mottley and Sawyer Jester, 11th graders Destinee Johnson and Khalyl Laws, and 12th graders D’Nasia Jones and Luke Speta.
Other speakers at the awards banquet included Willie Jackson, Pocomoke Rotary president, and Pocomoke Mayor Bruce Morrison, who declared it to be “4 Way Test Week.”
The Raymond C. Dryden award was given to Pocomoke High School senior Brent Ennis. The Dryden honor, named after the now-deceased, long-time Rotarian, is given to an outstanding student who exhibits the traits embodied in the 4 Way Test.
During the school day, Ennis said he goes out of his way to greet his peers. He has also developed interpersonal skills from dealing with customers at his full-time job.
“I come to school and speak to everybody,” he said. “If you treat somebody right, they’ll treat you right.”
Ennis said he is always willing to help anyone in need.
“When anybody needs a hand I’m surely willing to give it,” he said.
Being honored by the rotary has given Ennis insight into how others view his interactions.
“It’s always a big eye opener when you win an award like that,” he said. “You realize that you’re doing something right.”
From her perspective, Wallace said while the award winners shared commonalities, they also represented a cross-section of interests.
“While they did all have a lot of extracurricular activities and things they were involved with, they all were vey different,” she said. “It was really good to get an eclectic mix of kids together that were involved in all different things.”
She also noted her deep appreciation for the rotary’s involvement at the high school.
“The idea of community involvement and giving back to your community through service organizations is kind of becoming lost in our society,” she said. “We don’t have a whole lot of people who are committed to those community organizations, so I really appreciate their continued support.”
By familiarizing students with the Pocomoke Rotary Club, she hoped the youth of today would become the civic leaders of tomorrow.
“Sometimes the most challenging students get the most attention, just because you’re tying to help them be better,” she said. “These students are the ones who can get lost in the shuffle.”