The Rotary Club of Westerville honored March 2020 Students of the Month during its luncheon Thursday, March 5 at the Villa Milano Banquet and Conference Center.
During the school year (October through May), the Club honors four students from local high schools each month. Working with the school principals and counselors, one student each month is chosen from Westerville Central, Westerville North, Westerville South and St. Francis DeSales. The students, their parents and the school administrators are introduced and honored at our first weekly luncheon each month.
The March 2020 Students of the Month are Alexia Gilbert of Westerville Central; Emylee Preston of Westerville North; Caleb Tesfai of Westerville South; and Chloe Myers of DeSales.
Central Senior Alexia Gilbert is active in numerous activities at the school, including the recently concluded Black History Month observance, where she wrote and directed Central’s performance. She planned Central’s Kindness Week and is a leader of the Be the Change Club. Alexia volunteers in the school office, is a Goodwill Ambassador, participated in Principal for a Day and was Central’s Homecoming Queen this year.
Favorite academic subjects for Westerville North senior Emylee Preston are psychology and history. She is a varsity letter winner in basketball, softball and tennis, was a varsity basketball Scholar Athlete for 2020, and served as captain of the tennis team, where she made honorable mention All-OCC and was recognized for Superior Academic Performance. She is a National Honor Society member and Academic Excellence winner in English and science. She participated in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is a staff member of North’s student newspaper, The Odyssey. Emylee plans to attend Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tenn., and major in psychology or social work.
Westerville South senior Caleb Tesfai said his favorite subjects are AP Physics 2, AP Calculus and AP Computer Science. He is a three-year Academic Letter winner, a South Student of the Month, winner of the AP Scholar Award and South’s Cats with Class award. He is a leader of the Ohio Energy Project and enjoys helping other students with math and physics homework during lunch period each day. Caleb also has worked at a movie theater for two years and is a guide at the Columbus Zoo. He plans to attend the University of Cincinnati to major in mechanical engineering and hopes to participate in UC’s Formula Racing team.
Chloe Myers is a senior at DeSales, where her favorite subjects are French, Spanish and AP Government. She is president of the National Honor Society at DeSales and has been active in theater throughout high school. She’s also a Kairos Leader and French and Spanish tutor. She’s involved with auto-cross and the school’s canned food drive to benefit the St. Stephen’s Community House. A four-year Academic Scholarship winner at DeSales, Chloe also has earned both Spanish and French literacy stamps for her diploma. She remains undecided on where she will attend college, but has been offered Merit Scholarships at Duquesne University, Fordham University, Ithaca College and Loyola University and plans to major in communications or public relations.
Photo caption: From left-Rotary Club of Westerville volunteer Janet Withers, March 2020 Students of the Month Caleb Tesfai (South), Chloe Myers (DeSales) and Emylee Preston (North), and Rotary Club of Westerville President Tom Shaver. Not pictured: Westerville Central Student of the Month Alexia Gilbert, who was unable to attend the March 5 luncheon.