Middle School Students Honored By Newtown Rotary

Three Newtown Middle School students were honored for their outstanding personal achievements and community service by Newtown Rotary at a recent meeting. Rotarian Tony Salvatore, assistant principal, presented the outstanding young students to the group of Rotarians.

Jessica DiVanno is in grade six and is recognized by her cluster for her community service. Jessica donates food every Sunday to the food pantry, has served coffee at the coffee stop during holiday weekends for weary motorists, donates toward  the Thanksgiving and Christmas Baskets every year through the church and firehouses, and worked at the community blood drive, where she greeted and served donors. She and her scout troop sent vitamins to orphanages in Russia, made cookies for the Dorothy Day House in Danbury, and planted flowers and visited with residents at Ashlar.

Seventh grader Zachariah Silver has been involved in numerous activities at the middle school, including Art Enrichment Class, literary magazine, student council, yearbook, respect team, Newtown Middle School Youth Advisory Board, Newtown prevention council, sixth grade orientation tour guide, religious school, and Boy Scouts. Zack was also presented last year with the Student Council Representative of the Year Award. He is described as a very conscientious, respectful student, who is respected by his peers and teachers alike.

William Sherman is an eighth grader who was elected by his cluster because of his academic and personal growth since the beginning of this year. Will has taken ownership for his own learning, causing him to become a very successful self-directed learner.  Will is an active member of the Boy Scouts and is interested in hiking, camping, and the building of model tanks. Newtown Rotary honors these students to bring to the attention of the public the good work and example they are setting in their school.