Rotarians highlight scholar-athletes

The Rotary Club of Palatka has created a new program to honor Palatka’s graduating high schoolers who have excelled in both athletics and academics.

In February, Palatka Junior-Senior High School seniors Mikade Harvey and Ruby Doran were chosen to speak to the club about their experiences and receive acknowledgement for their hard work juggling sports and keeping their grades above a 3.5 GPA.

“We are looking at those students in a varsity program (football, basketball, baseball, softball, golf and weightlifting, etc.) that have excelled on and off of the field/court/pool, etc., as well as in the classroom,” Jim Troiano, Rotarian and community development director for Beck/Sloan Properties said in an email. “Mikade was selected for his efforts as a senior associated with wrestling and swimming. Ruby was selected for her efforts as a swimmer and tennis player.”

Troiano said the local Rotary Club decided to partner with Palatka Junior-Senior High School’s athletics director to implement the program, which began in January.

“Through communication with (the athletic director’s) coaches, they select one male and one female scholar-athlete each month between January and May,” Troiano said in an email. “After obtaining the names, we invite the athletic director, coach(s), students and their parents to one of our meetings to be honored.”

The Rotary Club, one of two in the city, meets each Tuesday at noon. So far, four high school students — two young men and two young women — have been chosen for the program. By the end of May, the club expects to have honored 10 students, each receiving a certificate from the club and a gift card.

After the 10 students are chosen, Troiano said, the club’s scholarship committee, along with the school’s athletic director, will choose two scholar-athletes from the group of 10 — one male and one female. He said those two will each receive a $1,000 scholarship, and the title will be Rotary Club of Palatka’s Scholar Athlete of the Year.

According to the club, to be one of the monthly honorees, students at the high school must have an unweighted GPA at or above 3.5; must show performance and leadership on and off of the field, as well as academic and athletic accomplishments or honors; must demonstrate active community service and exemplify Rotary’s Motto, “Service Above Self”; and must have a brief written nomination from their coach.

For the top scholarship, the club states, the student must be one of the 10 recognized students, participate in an in-person interview, have a coach recommendation, and undergo a review of athletic achievements, transcripts and GPA. The student also must provide a narrative for why they would like the scholarship and on how it will help them achieve their goal.

For more information about the program, the club can be reached at palatkarotary@gmail.com.