The Rotary Club of Westerville recognized its May 2024 Students of the Month during its weekly luncheon May 2, held at The Golf Club at Little Turtle.
Throughout the school year, from 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 high schools. The students, their parents, and the school administrators are introduced and honored at a Rotary Club luncheon each month.
Special thanks to the Westerville City School District for its continuing support of the Rotary Students of the Month program, and to district Community Engagement Coordinator Charlie Boss for student photos and profile compilations.
May 2024 Honoree Profiles
Westerville Central: Anthony Ravagnani’s favorite subjects are film and literature and material science. The senior has been involved in WCHS marching band for five years and recently wrapped up his fourth year in the school’s theatre program by playing Mr. Mushnik in the Warhawk Theatre production of Little Shop of Horrors. He also supported various service projects through the National Honor Society, including blood drives at school and dressing up in a duck costume for the Genoa Township bunny hop trail. He has been on honor roll for all four years and has served as the marching band percussion leader for three years. He plans to study pre-nursing at Ohio State University Newark for a year before transferring to OSU main campus. “As a senior, I’m most thankful for the opportunities and the guidance I’ve received from teachers in my extracurriculars. I learned leadership and how to work well with others through performing.”
Westerville North: Kennedy Easter’s favorite subjects are chemistry and human anatomy. The senior has been involved in WNHS’ Black History Month program and is a National Honor Society member. Among her awards and recognitions: College Board National African American Recognition Program and Warrior Way Honor Roll. She plans to study biology on a premed track at Ohio State University.
Westerville South: Xiaoxuan Li’s favorite subjects are chemistry and business. The junior is involved in multiple sports, clubs and activities, including cross country, track and field, National Honor Society and the Global Scholars Diploma program. She is treasurer in both the Key Club and Student Council. She is a recent inductee of Hope Squad. She will be an assistant coach of the Grasshoppers Youth Running Club this summer. Among the awards and recognitions she’s received: AP Scholar Award with Distinction, academic letter, Student of the Month, Honor Roll, Scholar-Athlete Awards, PTO Departmental Excellence Award in Art, Cross Country Coaches’ Award and Track and Field Coaches’ Award. She plans to study a business-related field in college.
St. Francis DeSales: Ella Steiger’s favorite subjects are psychology, literature and anatomy. The senior has been involved in a host of school organizations and activities: St Vincent DePaul, Mind Over Matter, National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, E-Team, Student Ambassador, Poetry Out Loud and theatre productions. She has also served as president of Drama Club and membership captain of the choral group, Horizons. She has been on the honor roll all four years of high school and has received multiple scholarships. She plans to study secondary education in social studies at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education and Human Development. Her goal is to teach psychology and/or sociology and she hopes to get involved in BU’s music or theatre department.
CAPTION (ABOVE PHOTO, FROM LEFT): Rotary Club of Westerville President Katrina Plourde, May 2024 honorees WNHS senior Kennedy Easter, WCHS senior Anthony Ravagnani, DeSales senior Ella Steiger, WSHS junior Xiaoxuan Li and Rotary Club Student of the Month Chairwoman Carol Faulkner
The Rotary Club of Westerville
Founded in 1959, the Rotary Club of Westerville is a service club of business professionals and leaders working to improve our community and larger world. We are part of Rotary International. Find out more at WestervilleRotary.com. Contact the Club and learn how to join at www.westervillerotary.com/contact-form. Read more about the Rotary International organization at Rotary.org.
Interested in joining?
The Rotary Club of Westerville is accepting applications for new membership.
The best way to pursue membership is to contact an existing Club member, and attend one of our lunches or events as her or his guest. Members of the public also are welcome to attend our events on their own, to see what our service club is all about. If possible, please give notice of your intent to attend a luncheon or social by emailing WestervilleRotaryEvents@gmail.com.
We hope to see you soon!