More than 500 sixth- and eighth-grade students were recognized May 6 for their academic and artistic achievement at the 27th annual Celebrating Excellence awards ceremony at Memorial High School.
The honored students included sixth-grade Exchange Club Student of the Month winners; eighth-grade citizenship and leadership recipients; Elkhart Noon Kiwanis award recipients; honor roll students, those who have demonstrated unusually developed talent in music, art, dance, or drama; and those who excelled in city, county, regional, and state academic contests.
In addition, high school seniors Erik Huang, Steven Swanson, and Allison Valentijn were recognized as Elkhart's National Merit Scholar nominees.
Guest speaker for the event was Jon Chevalier, a retired Elkhart police officer who now teaches law enforcement at the Elkhart Area Career Center.
The program was emceed by Dr. John Hill, Elkhart's director of curriculum. The awards were presented by Hill and other ECS administrators and teachers. Entertainment was provided by the Central High School Jazz String Orchestra under the direction of Kyle Weirich.
