Four Escalon High School students were the final honorees for the 2016-17 school year, chosen as the Students of the Month in the Escalon Sunrise Rotary Club recognition program.

Honorees were Lexi Anderson, Elizabeth Coronel, Karen Pantoja and Shelby McCune.

Lexi Anderson received her nomination from teacher Dixie Tirre.

“Lexi is currently my top AP Statistics student. She is very hard working. She doesn’t work for a high grade. She works to understand and apply the information,” noted Tirre. “She is an excellent student and a wonderful person.”

Her student achievements include: FFA and AgriScience competitor all four years; Friends helping Friends, all four years and treasurer for past two years; Key Club, Kiwanis member all four years and project  manager this year. She also attends Free Methodist church in Ripon; has received academic awards for PE, Science and Math; earned Miss Congeniality in the Miss Escalon pageant. She has also received multiple awards for AgriScience projects, including fifth in the nation for AgriScience research project (sugar survey).

Community Service includes donating baby blankets and making tray favors at Memorial Hospital, along with her Key Club, Lions Club and FHF activities. She also started a business “Lexi Fabulous Cookies” where she makes fresh homemade cookies, and she has tutored several people in math.

“I would like to thank Mrs. Tirre for nominating me, my parents who tell me to persevere and to strive, and God for blessing me,” Anderson said.

Earning her nomination from teacher George Megenney was Elizabeth Coronel.

“Elizabeth is one of a very few number of students who have experienced both English and Spanish instruction from me,” Megenney noted. “During the previous school year, Elizabeth demonstrated a number of noteworthy habits that predicted academic success: organization, respect for me and others, attention to detail, and always making a consistent effort to improve her skills. I was appreciative of these qualities last year, and once again this year, though it was in AP Spanish that Elizabeth demonstrated a high level of skill as well as consistent improvement.”

Megenney added that the teen serves as a good role model to her classmates due to her excellent classroom behavior and willingness to collaborate effectively with others.

“I expect that she will continue to impress future instructors as she journeys forward in life after her time at EHS,” Megenney said.

She has been active as a Club Member in Key Club, Spanish Club, Interact and Friends Helping Friends.

“I would like to thank my parents, Mr. Megenney and my boyfriend,” Coronel said.

Karen Pantoja also received a nomination for the honor from Mr. Megenney.

“I have been able to work with Karen as both an English and a Spanish teacher during the past two academic school years. In Advanced English during the past year, Karen demonstrated a great deal of growth in her abilities to write and construct well-written essays,” Megenney explained. “She quietly persevered through challenges both great and small, and always did so in a pleasant manner. This year, in AP Spanish, Karen once again demonstrated behavioral and academic habits that have helped her to be one of the shining stars in the class. Never loud or boisterous, Karen absorbs information like a sponge and then demonstrates her understanding of academic concepts on a consistent basis within the classroom.”

Her student achievements include: Interact, Key, Art, CSF and Spanish Club member; academic award in Earth Science and Algebra and received Seal of Biliteracy awards; maintained a high GPA in her four years at EHS.

She also helps elementary students improve in both reading and math by tutoring them.

“I would like to thank my parents and Mr. Megenney,” said Coronel.

Shelby McCune was nominated as a Student of the Month by teacher Andrew Beam.

“Shelby is an outstanding all around individual. She is active in the learning process, engages in conversation, and is one that the other students look up to. She is a great example of a Student-Athlete at Escalon High School,” Beam said. “She participates in multiple clubs, sports, AP classes and does so at a high level in all areas.”

A member of FCA and CSF, she regularly attends youth group and plays guitar with the praise team at her church. She also plays golf, basketball and participated in shot put and discus as a member of the track and field team. She earned an Academic Block E for two years, and was chosen as a Scholar Athlete for each sports season.

“I would like to thank my parents for supporting me in everything I do,” McCune said, “and Mr. Beam for nominating me for Student of the Month, and for always pushing me to be my best in both school and sports.”

The group was honored at a breakfast meeting of the Rotary Club in May, just before the end of the school year.