Six local students were honored by the Kiwanis Club of Sunnyslope during its “Student of the Month” luncheon, held Oct. 17 at Sunnyslope High School.
Being honored as a Student of Month were seventh grader Belen Gonzalez, and eighth grader Julian Rodriguez from Sunnyslope School. Belen, whose favorite subject is science, is a member of the school’s Student Council and enjoys swimming, origami, music and art, as well as volunteering. She hopes someday to attend Harvard. Julian was praised for being a hard worker who can always be counted on to give his best effort in all his classes. His favorite subject is math, and he is a teacher’s assistant in Social Studies.
From Mountain View School, seventh grader Kathy Ngo and eighth grader Christopher Steven Alcantara Pachecho were recognized. Kathy, who is a member of the school’s Community Action Team (CAT), was recognized for being determined and disciplined, whether in the classroom or when working on community service projects. Steven, as he likes to be called, who also is a member of CAT, has strong leadership and team-building skills. He is a mature young man who cares deeply about community service.
From Central High, Alphonsine Mbuyi was honored. An immigrant from the Congo, Alphonsine came to Phoenix six years ago knowing little English, but soon was able to transfer into regular classes where she continued to excel. She plans to attend beauty school after graduation and hopes to one day own a salon.
Jessica Meilech, a senior at Sunnyslope High School, also was recognized. Jessica is a member of the National Honor Society, the National Hispanic Honor Society, and th Link Crew, which mentors incoming freshmen. She also is on the cross country and track teams. She plans to study engineering at the University of Arizona.
The Kiwanis honor outstanding students each month as a way of applauding their academic and leadership successes and encouraging them to continue to set an example for their fellow students. All students receive a framed certificate and a bumper sticker.
