New program honors students that make an impact on teachers and staff
BY JIM BEERS Contributing Writer
CHESTER – With the advent of a new principal at Chester High School, a new program has been launched that recognizes students that make a difference or impact on teachers and staff. Jeremy Blechle brought the idea with him from his 1-year stay at Columbia High School where he served as Assistant Principal.
The inaugural program at CHS recognized a total of 28 students who were nominated by staff members at Chester High School. The nominations could be made by teachers, cooks, janitors, administrators, coaches, secretaries, nurses, social workers, or virtually any staff member at CHS.
Criteria for nomination included:
1) Every staff member at CHS was able to nominate one deserving student.
2) Students had to be someone who had made a positive impact in the classroom or at school.
3) ALL students, freshman through seniors, were eligible for the award.
4) Nominations were supposed to be totally anonymous and no one was supposed to know that a nomination was made besides the person making the nomination. On the night of the award presentations, all announcements of recipients were to be a “surprise” to all!
5) Staff members making the nominations had to write a 1-page letter detailing WHY the nomination was made.
6) Students and their families were notified that they were nominated, but until the night of the reveal ceremony, students were NOT to know who nominated them.
7) The staff member making the nomination had to read the nominating letter “live” at the ceremony.
8) Each student receiving the honor received a medal and his or her photo was taken with the nominating staff member at the ceremony.
9) Students were encouraged to wear their medals to school the next day.
Nomination letters were to be no longer than one page. They were to be personal, possibly including a story or memory that made the student special and why they were selected for the Distinguished YellowJacket Award.
Finally, the nomination was to remain a “secret” and was to be a complete surprise for everyone in attendance at the award ceremony. All nominations were to be emailed to Principal Blechle.
On the night of the 1st Annual Distinguished YellowJacket Award Ceremony Principal Jeremy Blechle served as Master of Ceremonies. He thanked everyone for coming and said, “Please join us tonight in honoring all Distinguished YellowJacket recipients for their notable qualities and extraordinary character”.
Blechle then explained how the program got its start and how recipients were selected or nominated. Teachers and staff members attending the event were introduced. Students were introduced when their awards were presented.
Prior to the event it was explained to both staff and students that this was a formal event and that formal attire was required. Staff were instructed to sit on the floor in seats to the right of the podium facing the home side of Colbert Gymnasium. Students were seated to the left of the podium facing the home side.
CHS Administration released the lineup of presentations for the awards portion of the program the week prior to the ceremony. Presenters read their nomination letter directly from the one-page letter that was originally submitted for approval.
Following the reading of the nomination letter, the staff presenter announced the winner of the award and made the presentation of his or her medal. He or she then announced the next staff member presenter.
The Distinguished YellowJacket and the presenting staff member then walked together to the new CHS backdrop for an official photograph. Following completion of the photo, presenters and recipients then returned to their seats for the duration of the program.
At the conclusion of the program, Principal Blechle thanked everyone for attending the 1st Annual Distinguished YellowJacket Ceremony and announced that all of the nomination letters and photos will be published in a booklet and that the booklet will given to both the student Distinguished YellowJackets and the staff members who nominated them.
The following is a listing of each student “Distinguished YellowJacket” and his or her nomination presenter.
Distinguished YellowJacket Honoree Staff Nominator
Ace Smith Mike Springston
Aden McFarland Rana Hodge
Aidan Blechle Candyce Giesler
Ary Shipley Jackie Clendenin
Aubrie Medford Robin Barton
Breanna Coffey Emily Millburg
Briley Miles Lila Zeiger
Callie Davis Erin Belton
Hanna Colvis Sophia Durbin
Jacob Handel Jacob Wente
Jaiden Tucker Kathy Miles
Jesse Heath Sara Hammel
Katelin Conway Amy Miller
Koby Jany Dwight Lochhead
Luke Kennedy Bryce Bainter
Maggie Clendenin Beth Brown
Marlin Ordonez Jamie Ruch
Mikayla Straight Dawnye Appel
Noah Wetzel Cindy Ponder
Olivia Vasquez Brittany Mueller
Peyton Dickson Michelle Justinen
Rylie Myers Cheri Boyd
Scott Bernachi Jeremy Blechle
Southern LaChance Della Carroll
Sydney Collins Steve Colonel
Thomas Lyons Casey Hawkins
Will Welge Evelyn Hankins
William Schuwerk James Juenger
The evening ended with all students and presenters being photographed in one large group photo. Refreshments were served immediately following photo session.
The 1st Annual event was deemed a huge success and lasted just under an hour. Principal Blechle said that the Distinguished YellowJacket Award Program would be an annual event to further allow CHS staff members to recognize and honor deserving students.
Chester High School Principal Jeremy Blechle welcomes guests to the 1st Annual CHS Distinguished YellowJacket Awards Ceremony. Jim Beers Photo
CHS Principal, Jeremy Blechle, discusses how the 1st Annual Distinguished YellowJacket Program got started, prior to the beginning of the 1st Annual CHS Awards Program. Jim Beers Photo
CHS Teacher Brittany Mueller presents the very first Chester High School “Distinguished YellowJacket” Award to Olivia Vasquez at the 1st Annual Award Ceremony at CHS Colbert Gymnasium. Jim Beers Photo
CHS Principal Jeremy Blechle presented Scott Bernachi with a Distinguished YellowJacket Award. Jim Beers Photo
Cindy Ponder School Social Worker from the Perandoe Special Education District presented Noah Wetzel with a Distinguished YellowJacket Award. Jim Beers Photo
CHS Teacher Candyce Giesler presents CHS senior Aidan Blechle with one of 28 1st Annual CHS Distinguished YellowJacket Awards. Jim Beers Photo
Chester High School staff members who nominated students for the 1st Annual Distinguished YellowJacket Awards await their turn to read their nomination letter to the audience and present the medal to their chosen student at the 1st Annual Award Program. Jim Beers
Koby Jany, a Chester High School senior, stands by Dwight Lochhead, the CHS teacher who nominated him for a 1st Annual CHS Distinguished YellowJacket Award. Jim Beers Photo
There were 28 Chester High School students nominated for the 1st Annual CHS Distinguished YellowJacket Award. These 28 students anxiously await for their name to be called so that they can find out what CHS Staff member nominated them for the honor. Jim Beers Photo
CHS Teacher Erin Belton and her nominee Callie Davis, pose for a photo following the presentation of Callie’s medal at the 1st Annual Distinguished YellowJacket Award Ceremony. Jim Beers Photo
CHS Teacher Jacob Wente stands with his nominee Jacob Hendel at the 1st Annual Distinguished YellowJacket Award Ceremony. Jim Beers Photo
Following the conclusion of the 1st Annual Chester High School Distinguished YellowJacket Awards Ceremony, all 28 student winners and their nomination staff members pose for a group photo in CHS Colbert Gymnasium. Jim Beers Photo