LYNN — The Rotary Club of Lynn continued its longstanding tradition of uplifting local youth Thursday, recognizing eight eighth-grade students for overcoming adversity and demonstrating exceptional empathy throughout the school year.
The honorees, nominated by teachers and guidance counselors who know them well, represented schools across the city, including Breed Middle School, KIPP Academy Lynn, and St. Pius V School. Whether navigating challenges such as learning English as a second language or mentoring younger classmates, each student was recognized for quiet strength and leadership.
This year’s recipients were:
- Amylynn Bardgett, Breed Middle School
- William Crosby, KIPP Academy Lynn
- Caroline Davis, North Shore Christian School
- Gerardo Macario, Thurgood Marshall Middle School
- Megan Ricot, St. Mary’s
- Jose Santos, Lynn Vocational Technical Institute
- Nolan Sieng, St. Pius V School
- Juliana Smith, Pickering Middle School
“They’re young people who have faced difficult situations — some with language barriers, some dealing with personal loss — and have come through them with compassion and resilience,” said Bill Reilly, the Rotary Club’s public relations director and former president.
The program, founded in 2008 by Rotarian Joe Combs, has honored more than 500 students over the years. Reilly said the inspiration behind the event stems from the club’s deep ties to the Lynn school system and its mission to encourage young leaders at formative moments in their lives.
At Thursday’s luncheon, students received gift certificates to a local bookstore and certificates of achievement. Their stories were read aloud by community leaders and Rotarians, including Police Chief Chris Reddy, St. Mary’s Head of Schools Dr. John Dolan, retired educators Dr. Richard and Irene Cowdell, Kimberly Lee, and Claire Price, department head of special education. Each narrative highlighted not just hardship, but also perseverance.
RiverWorks Credit Union, the program’s sponsor, has played a key role in keeping the initiative thriving. CFO Peter Kopoulos attended the ceremony to show his support.
Reilly noted the program has expanded over the years to include not just public middle schools, but also parochial institutions such as St. Pius V School and North Shore Christian School.
He credited Rotarian Ray Bastarache, chairperson of the Lynn Rotary Charitable Corporation and a past club president, for coordinating the nomination process.
“Bastarache coordinates the whole thing,” said Reilly. “He reaches out to the guidance counselors at each school, lets them know the program is coming up, and asks for student nominations. The counselors or a teacher then send in a write-up about why that student deserves to be recognized.”
While the March 27 ceremony is one of several planned for the year, the heart of the program remains the same: recognizing the often-unseen efforts of young people who are quietly making a difference in their communities.
“I think the takeaway for these students is that someone noticed,” said Reilly. “That their strength, their empathy, it matters — and the community values them for it.”
