On Tuesday, Apr. 2nd Dr. Pierman honored all recent Benjamin Presidential Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) winners during a ceremony in Benjamin Hall.
Dr. Pierman believes awards like this are very important for high school students to take part in. She explains the process of how she came across the congressional and the PVSA.
“My children started the congressional medal in middle school. The area representative who helped them suggested that I take over now that she is retiring. I jumped at the chance but I told her I only wanted to do it for Benjamin students because of time restraints,” said Dr. Pierman.
Senior Luca Balzano introduced Dr. Pierman won the presidential medal last year. After taking an online course, Dr. Pierman is now a certified representative for the Presidential Volunteer Service Award. which gives students recognition for their community service without the extra pillars that the congressional award demands.
Balzano was awarded the Young Adult Gold Medal which takes over 300 hours of community service to accomplish.
“I earned the congressional award and it led me to find the Presidential Voul Award and show it to Dr. Pierman. I think it is very important to do service and awards like this because it makes the recipient more disciplined throughout the process and helps one enjoy the service they are doing for the community by acknowledging the work they have put in,” exclaimed Balzano.
Director of College Counseling Mrs. Anna Wright believes that more students should look into completing the service requirement for awards such as the Presidential Volunteer Service Award because it shows colleges that you are giving back to the community.
“It just offers context to a resume. It is not just saying I volunteer, it gives the hours a quantifying measure and shows the student has gone above and beyond. The students have done the extra paperwork which the President has recognized,” said Mrs. Wright.
Sophomore R.J Pierman received the gold medal in the teen category with 126 hours.
“It was an amazing experience to receive the gold medal. I worked really hard to get all my hours so it was great to be acknowledged for everything I have done. It was also nice for my mother to give it to me,” said Pierman.
Dr. Pierman has been looking for more students to get involved in the Congressional Award and Presidential Volunteer Service Award and believes that ceremonies such as the one in Benjamin Hall bring light to other students who are already involved.
“It is important to honor these students because it is a remarkable achievement to be able to get so many hours helping the community and showing the character traits that Benjamin promotes. The more optics we have on the medal, the more students will want to follow in the award winner’s footsteps,” urged Dr. Pierman.
Congratulations to all who received a medal. The list is as follows:
- 53 hours: Bryce Seger. Bronze
- 55 hours: Lila Cooper Bronze
- 55 hours: Cassidy Walsh Bronze
- 75 hours: Natasha Yedinak Silver
- 76 hours: Caroline Welke Silver
- 100 hours: Alexander Calvo-Ayers Gold
- 101 hours: Rachel Nussbaum Gold
- 102 hours: Phoebe Apple Gold
- 104 hours: Roland Sahm Gold
- 115 hours: Ella Guagliano Gold
- 122 hours: Ella Axtell Gold
- 126 hours: RJ Pierman Gold
- 130 hours: Ryan Chait Gold
- 143 hours: Landon Strauss Gold
- 176 hours: Finley Strauss Gold
- 210 hours: Alina Zheng Gold
- 280 hours: Isabelle Downey Gold
- 300 hours: Luca Balzano Young Adult Gold
