Honoring Our Teens | About the Awards | 2009 Teen Character Award Winners

Honoring Our Teens
The Teen Character Awards honor outstanding teens from Oneida, Vilas, Forest, and Langlade counties who are strengthening their community by their demonstration of positive character values

We offer a community wide invitation to “tell us the story” of teens in our area who clearly embrace positive character values. Many of the teen’s mentors such as teachers, pastors, coaches, parents, and corporate executives wrote us detailing the accomplishments of those that impacted their lives. Selecting 20 teens from the numerous outstanding prospects is a difficult task.

We receive magnificent stories of selflessness and personal sacrifice. These acts define a positive message that is sent to our community about the teens in our area! Being a teen today is often a mixed blessing. Teens face challenges and issues that their previous generations seldom experience. It is good to recognize positive teen efforts and encourage young people to make good decisions. The task can be challenging and sometimes difficult, but the effort will pay off in the future of our youth and our whole community.

We are proud of the 2009 Character Award honorees. Each of these individuals, their nominators, their families, the presenting companies, and sponsors are doing more than just celebrating one evening. Tonight, each of us has caught a glimpse of the magic that can be done through caring, being honest, having respect, and taking responsibility.

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About the Awards
This special evening is the culmination of hard work and commitment to a program we feel is vitally important to the community. The award winners are a living example of strong moral character, leadership, and service dedicated to strengthening their families, schools, and communities. Each one of these teens is a living testament to the character traits of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility. In a time when teens are associated with so many negative stereotypes, it’s time to tell many positive stories that outweigh the small percentage of the teens who make the papers because of crimes committed, drug use, etc.

We catch character in action and applaud all of our winners for their successes and encourage them to continue to lead their life with the positive character values they’ve displayed in the past year. Through their actions, we can all learn that each of us can make a difference.

CARING is evidenced by helping and loving others.
HONESTY is evidenced by truthfulness and integrity.
RESPECT is evidenced by valuing the worth of others and self.
RESPONSIBILITY is evidenced by accountability to self and others.

2010 Winners of the Teen Character Awards

Jake Arno, James Williams Middle School
Nominator: Karie Natzke, Teacher

Taylor Arnold, Northland Pines High School
Nominator: Jason Foster, Teacher

Justin Campbell, James Williams Middle School
Nominator: Karen Arnott, Teacher

Bridgette Darton, Northland Pines High School
Nominator: Brian Margelofsky, Athletic Director

Will Ginnel, James Williams Middle School
Nominator: Jami Leighton, Teacher

Kyle Glinski, James Williams Middle School
Nominator: Karie Natzke, Teacher

Max Hempel, Rhinelander High School
Nominator: Julie Holperin, Family Friend

Jacob Jarvensivu, Tomahawk High School
Nominator: Scott Swenty, Principal

Dominique Knauf, James Williams Middle School
Nominator: Susan Holster, School Counselor

William Lapp, Phelps High School
Nominator: Alex Sjogren, Teacher

Joel McReynolds, Rhinelander High School
Nominator: Sandra M. Frost, Supervisor of Sunday school volunteers

Emily Meeder, Three Lakes High School
Nominator: Joan Meeder, Mother

Jade Meyers, Rhinelander High School
Nominator: Lynn Hawley, Supervising Teacher

Sarah Neddo, Northland Pines High School
Nominator: Deb Foster, Teacher

Justice Petonquot, James Williams Middle School
Nominator: Kim Bowman, Teacher

Jennifer Polzin, Rhinelander High School
Nominator: Linda Goldsworthy, Teacher

Ben Prom, Rhinelander High School
Nominator: Joe Waksmonski, Coach and Teacher

Will Robinson, Rhinelander High School
Nominator: Linda Goldsworthy, Teacher

Saydee Terzinski, Rhinelander High School
Nominator: Ginger Terzinski, Adult Leader and mother

Tyde Terzinski, Rhinelander High School
Nominator: Ginger Terzinski, Adult Leader and mother

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