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St. Elizabeth High School in Wilmington honors 30 students with President’s Volunteer Service Award

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WILMINGTON — Thirty students from St. Elizabeth High School were honored Oct. 17 for their work outside the classroom when they received the President’s Volunteer Service Award at a ceremony at St. Elizabeth Church. The students contributed more than 10,000 hours to secular service, worth an estimated $335,636 in dollar contributions.

“Service is at the heart of everything we do at St. Elizabeth,” principal Patrick Jordan said before a gathering that included all of the students from St. Elizabeth elementary and high schools, families and invited guests. “It is quite literally written on a plaque on the way into school: ‘Enter to learn. Leave to serve.’ It is something we value very dearly.”

State Rep. Sherry Dorsey Walker, a 1992 graduate of the high school, thanked the school for welcoming her “home” and noted that she has a niece and nephew who currently attend the elementary school. She recalled taking to heart the lessons she learned in the church and carrying them forth into college and her professional life. Dorsey noted she has served on the state board of pardons and on Wilmington City Council before becoming a state representative.

“St. Elizabeth prepared me for life with the virtue of service. I encourage you to continue to serve, to do what God has ordained you to do.

The student volunteers are recognized at a ceremony at St. Elizabeth Church on Oct. 17, Dialog photo/Mike Lang

“Never let anyone tell you what you cannot do. Show them what you can do for the God you serve.”

Christopher Bell, the economic development director for New Castle County, read a proclamation from county executive Matt Meyer, who was unable to attend. The proclamation commended the students for their dedication.

“I encourage all citizens to follow their example of dedication to service as we continue to strengthen the bonds of our community and promote the value of kindness, selflessness and solidarity,” the proclamation read in part.

During the event, a plaque was unveiled noting the current group’s record of service. Shelly Luckett, St. Elizabeth’s director of administration and advancement, said every class can work toward earning their own plaque.

The students were called forth to receive their awards. They were divided into three groups: bronze, silver and gold. That was based on the amount of service hours they completed.

Bronze: Brooke Brown, Brooke Montgomery, Caitlyn Kowalski, Christopher Reilly, Connor Hall, James Adair, Matthew Acholla, Olivia Justison, Quintin Seebaran and Troy Jones.

Silver: Aisling Donahue, Alexander Soto, Anthony Carabello, Jade McDaniel, Lucy Campbell and Mylie Michalkiewicz.

Gold: Ahshira Wilson, Alexis Testerman, Connor Carter, Craig Sweeney, Dominic Rufo, Dylan Harrison, Hannah Griffith, Jayden Gonzalez, Justin Bozzo, Kayden Webb, Mackenzie Zoccolillo, Myles Orr, Olivia Piarkowski and Stephen Hilton.