Celebrate Youth!
Celebrate Youth is an opportunity each year to nominate 11th and 12th graders in our community who have shown outstanding character and perseverance despite adversity. Local businesses present five awards to youth honoring citizenship, bouncing back, sportsmanship, self-expression, and a commitment to learning. The winner in each category is awarded $1,000. An overall “Youth of the Year” will also be selected and will be awarded $2,000.
Students who reside in Tippecanoe, Clinton, Carroll, White, Warren, and Fountain counties are eligible.
2024 Celebrate Youth Sponsors:
Youth of the Year - sponsor, Freckles Graphics
Charles Mikels' Citizenship through Service Award - sponsor, (TBD)
Bouncing Back Award - sponsor, Ivy Tech Community College
Sportsmanship Award -sponsor, Gibson Insurance
Creative Self-Expression Award - sponsor, Dr. Chris and Carol Downard
Commitment to Learning Award - sponsor, Arni's Restaurant
Award Categories
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The "Youth of the Year" is a young person who exemplifies great achievement in one or more of the award categories. This youth is a positive role model to their peers and the community. They are responsible, caring, and a successful young adult with integrity and character.
Chasyn Painter from Rossville High School was awarded the 2023 Youth of the Year Award.
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The Bouncing Back Award is presented to a young person who has been resilient in the face of difficult obstacles. Through perseverance and grit, this young person has coped with life’s challenges and achieved success in one or more areas. This individual expresses a positive sense of identity and is a role model to others facing challenges.
Erika Stephenson from Frankfort High School was awarded the 2023 Bouncing Back Award.
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The Bouncing Back Award is presented to a young person who has been resilient in the face of difficult obstacles. Through perseverance and grit, this young person has coped with life’s challenges and achieved success in one or more areas. This individual expresses a positive sense of identity and is a role model to others facing challenges.
Erika Stephenson from Frankfort High School was awarded the 2023 Bouncing Back Award.
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The Sportsmanship Award honors a young person who has demonstrated excellent sportsmanship in the context of their athletic activities. In both practice and competition, this individual is an example of integrity, responsibility and high expectations. Through relationships with coaches, teammates and competitors, this young person shows how positive character can be developed and exhibited through athletic pursuits.
Lilian Sharp from Rossville High School was the 2023 Sportsmanship Award recipient.
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The Creative Self-Expression Award recognizes a young person who has demonstrated exceptional commitment and creativity in an artistic endeavor or other method of self-expression. This young person’s creative activities contribute to their positive sense of self, purpose and perspective on their future.
Angel Rose Ponce Valenzuela from Jefferson High School was the 2022 Creative Self-Expression Award recipient.
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The Commitment to Learning Award, presented by Arni's Restaurant, is awarded to a young person who has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to their learning in one or more subjects. By serving as a mentor or by directly teaching others, this young person encourages their peers to develop a commitment to learning.
Emily Bulthuis from Crossing School Frankfort was the 2023 Commitment to Learning Award recipient.
