Adrian Optimist Club Students of the month for September 2017

The Adrian Optimist Club is pleased to honor Students of the Month from the Miami, Ballard, and Adrian schools. Criteria for this honor center on outstanding academic and civic achievement and school spirit. Staff at each of the schools make the selection, and their decision is based on expansion of these criteria. Selection is based on the criteria, but a student stepping up to a particular task will come to play in it. Each student is honored with a certificate of recognition from the Adrian Optimist Club and $20.00 in Adrian Chamber of Commerce “Chamber Bucks”.

The Ballard Student of the Month for September is Junior Merritt Roach, son of Rusty and Melody Roach. Math teacher, Raelynn Kershner states “Merritt is a leader in and out of class. He isn’t afraid of challenging situations and tackles them to the best of his ability. He is willing to learn from mistakes instead of simply giving up.” Social Studies teacher Brad Dunkin states “Merritt is self-assured, yet open to new ideas, considerate, with a record of continual self-improvement, and a record of continual self-improvement, and a respect for teachers rarely matched.” Merritt is a member of Baseball and FFA Trap teams. He is also involved in FFA and Ballard Honor Society.




The Miami Student of the Month is Junior McKinzie McWilliams, daughter of Kim Huebert and Kelly Huebert. In school McKinzie is in FCCLA, STUCO, and Drama club. She finds time to help older people in the community. McKinzie states “My Dad has inspired me to try as hard as I can in school and to stay in school. She plans to go to college to become a teacher. 

Staff at Miami state “McKinzie works quietly to take in all the learning opportunities that surround her. She participates with great drive and enthusiasm in any endeavor she takes on.”

The Adrian Student of the Month is Junior James Keating, son of Jim and Kathy Keating. In school James participates in Football, Baseball, Wrestling, Track, FFA, TEAMS, and is employed by the school. He also works on the family farm. James states “Continue to do the right thing when you don’t think it matters or when no one is watching.” Math teacher, Matt Davis states “James is a very hard working driven student. 

He is always setting a good example for other students, and he is active in a wide range of activities around the school.” James would like to attend either K-State or Pitt State and earn a degree in engineering, specifically in programming and operating CNC machines.