The Jackson Hole Rotary Lunch Club presented its “Students of the Season” last week at The Wort Hotel. The awards recognized outstanding high school students from Jackson Hole High School, Summit Innovations High School, Jackson Hole Classical Academy, JH Community School and Mountain Academy.
Dr. Scott Crisp, Principal at Jackson Hole High School, kicked off our Students of the Season recognitions by introducing Mack Fairbairn. Dr. Crisp remarked how Mack “represents being a respectful and kind person,” values we have highlighted this year as the human part of schools.
Mack shared his early passion for broadcasting, including his volunteer gig providing the morning announcements at JHHS. But, after a physics class, his future goals changed, and he now “has a passion for trades and hopes to become an electrician.”
Amelia Nebenzahl from Mountain Academy honored senior Grace Regan. Amelia remarked that Grace “makes space for other voices to be heard at Mountain Academy.”
Grace remarked how she has enjoyed her time as a student at Mountain Academy. She shared a passion for local nonprofit Horse Warriors and how her work connecting to horses showed “how important trust and compassion are in relationships.”
Monica Vitale, Dean of Academics at JH Classical Academy, introduced Sascha Mizelle, a junior, who is a “compassionate leader that serves younger students in a mentor role.”
Sascha shared she too, is passionate about Horse Warriors. She has “learned leadership through training, how to take charge and live life in the present. In the future, she hopes to study Criminal Psychology.
Taylor Santos from Summit Innovations High School was honored as the Student of the Season by Pier Trudelle, who highlighted Taylor’s “voice and strength” and how “she has advocated for student leadership and change at Summit.”
Santos shared a personal story of finding her voice, her passion for agriculture and how farming changed her life. Taylor uses her lived experiences to fight for change and referred to teachers at Summit as “life support.”
Gordon Hight, Dean of Students at Jackson Hole Community School, introduced Ventura Garcia Perez, a senior who is “a leader and detailed oriented.”
Ventura shared his passion for the musical Hamilton with Rotarians and his volunteering through Hole Food Rescue. Proud of his immigrant roots, Garcia Perez hopes to “leave behind a legacy worth living.”
“We are honored to have students throughout the valley who share their stories and achievements with us,” says JH Rotary Lunch Club President Jessica Jaubert. “Our students honored today and throughout the valley have shown strength, vulnerability, and determination this year, and we recognize all of them and their achievements.”
