LYNN — The city’s Rotary Club continued its 30-plus-year tradition of recognizing eighth-grade students from the city’s middle schools.
The eight students who were recognized have struggled with some type of adversity during the school year or shown empathy toward others in an outstanding way. The recognition ceremony at Old Tyme Italian restaurant on Thursday was the third and last ceremony for this academic year.
Students are nominated by a teacher or guidance counselor who knows them very well. The students are then invited to a luncheon meeting of the Rotarians, and are individually presented with a gift certificate to a local bookstore and a certificate of achievement.
The city’s RiverWorks Credit Union is the program’s financial sponsor.
During the individual presentations, a narrative is read by Rotary President Jean-Marie Minton or retired teacher Irene Cowdell, enumerating the various situations the students struggled with and how they overcame them.
The students recognized were Dilessy Lugo, Vivian Escobar Gomez, Camdyn Driscoll, Nardo Espinosa Marte, Isaias Hernandez, Rory Hetherington, Greyson McKenzie, and James Lopez.
More than 30 years ago, the Eighth Grade Recognition Program was the brainchild of Rotarian and Lynn businessman Joe Coombs, who always felt that the eighth grade was a turning point in his life. He acknowledged how “lost” he felt during those middle-school years and, were it not for a compassionate teacher who took him aside and supported him, he doubted he would have been as successful as an adult. Coombs’ success was derived from the positive reinforcement and support he received in middle school, so he petitioned his fellow Rotarians to adopt the program. Since its inception, more than 500 students have been recognized by the Rotary Club of Lynn.
