Rotary/PTSA Students of the Month

Grand Island Dispatch, March 14, 2008

Nick Tomkins

Nicholas Alan Tomkins, son of James and Donna Tomkins, has been a resident of Grand Island all of his life and has been enrolled in the Grand Island School District since kindergarten.

While attending Kaegebein Elementary School, Nick received the Golden “K” Award for academics and involvement in extracurricular activities. In middle school, Nick received the Pride of the Island Award given by the GITA. In high school, Nick is extremely involved in extracurricular activities. He has been a class officer for the Class of 2008 since his sophomore year, where he has held the office of historian. Nick has also been a member of many of the school’s organizations, such as Concert Choir and DECA.

Nick has been continually active in his community as well. He volunteers for the Grand Island Lions Club, and he helps the Greenway Commission with their clean-up efforts. He has also participated in events such as the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life, where he is currently captain of a platinum team. Nick also participated in the 2007 Grand Island Student Olympics, where his team won first place overall. For this event, Grand Island students helped raise money for the special athletes in the community. Nick has also participated in three “Reach Workcamps” with the Trinity United Methodist Church Youth Group throughout the East Coast, where he helped rebuild homes for less fortunate families.

Additionally, Nicholas has had numerous accomplishments in sports. He has been a member of the varsity football team for the past two years. Last year he was named to the All-League Second Team, and this year he hopes to do the same or better. Nick was also this year’s captain of the football team this year. At the pep rally this year, he was also named Homecoming King. In addition to football, Nick has been a member of the Grand Island swimming and track teams during his high school career.

Nick has set many high goals for his future. After graduation, he plans on attending college and would like to pursue a major in the business field.

Sam Kilb

Sam Kilb has attended Grand Island schools since the second grade, when he began at Kaegebein Elementary School. Throughout his high school career, Sam has excelled in academics and athletics and has remained involved in community service. Academically, Sam has taken the most difficult course load possible throughout middle school and high school. He has maintained high honor roll status throughout, while continuing to challenge himself this year by taking six Advanced Placement or college classes.

Sam has been awarded the Academic Excellence Certificate, pin, and letter. He has also received the Alfred University Ceramics Award for excellence in math, science and English and was named to the All-Western New York Scholar Athlete Team for boys soccer. Sam has participated in varsity athletics for all four years of high school. He has lettered twice in track, once in tennis, once in basketball, and three times in soccer. Sam won the Academic Award for Track and Field twice. He was selected to the third team All-Niagara Frontier League for soccer in 2006, and as the team captain this season was named team MVP and made the first team All-NFL. He also served as captain to his club soccer team, with which he plays year-round. Sam has been on Scholar Athlete teams for six different seasons.

Outside of the classroom, Sam has been active in the community. He serves as the president of the Grand Island chapter of National Honor Society. In conjunction with the school’s Interact Club, of which he has been an active member of for all four years of high school, Sam has participated in activities such as cleaning local roadsides, assisting with Rotary-sponsored clothing drives at school, ringing bells for the Salvation Army during the holidays and working at Rotary’s annual Lobsterfest. During the past few summers, Sam has worked at DeGraff Memorial Hospital in Tonawanda as a junior volunteer.

After graduation, Sam plans to attend college to pursue a degree in journalism with hopes of someday writing for a major newspaper.

Brittany Stallard

Brittany Stallard has been a resident of Grand Island most of her life. She has been able to experience public, private, and homeschooling while living on Grand Island. Throughout the years, Brittany has been a community servant and leader to her peer group. Her contributions to society show that she will continue to be a great leader.

She has won numerous awards that include an Academic Excellence Certificate, pin and letter. She played on the GIHS varsity tennis team for four years, holding the third singles position during her freshman year, then to the first singles position for her remaining varsity tennis career. She was a key contributor to her team’s success of winning the NFL championship and becoming an undefeated tennis team. She was undefeated in first singles with a record of 14-0 in her senior year.

Brittany is involved in many clubs, such as DECA, where she currently is the regional representative for GIHS and holds the vice president of social events position for the WNY region. She looks forward to assisting the DECA advisor at regional competition this year, which will be hosted at her high school. She will also be competing in the DECA state competition for event planning.

This motivated teen is very proud of serving her country as a very active cadet in Civil Air Patrol (CAP). She held the position of flight commander of the Niagara Falls squadron. During her CAP career, she won many awards, such as the Non-commissioned Officer of the Year for WNY, the Veterans of Foreign Wars for Outstanding Achievements, the Air Force Sergeants Association of Excellence Award, and achieved the Goddard level award, to name a few. Through CAP, she attended NYS CAP encampments, held a staff position at several Cadet Leadership Schools, and had the opportunity to pilot several flights.

Her personal community service achievements include having her own backyard carnival, where she raised more than $3,500 for a local women/children’s homeless shelter. She and her family raised $5,000 to start a school in Uganda, Africa, where 120 children now attend school. She also started an organization called “Kids Who Care,” which encourages and provides a way for other kids to get involved in community service. Her Girl Scout career includes being awarded the Silver Award, and she is 90 percent done with her Gold Award. She was mistress of ceremonies and ambassador for the 2004 and 2005 Women of Distinction Dinner. During the summer of 2007, she attended Student Leadership University in Washington, D.C., where she studied with some of our nation’s greatest leaders. This opportunity was offered to her through her local church, The Chapel at Cross Point, where she is currently serving an internship as a high school assistant and also serves on Sunday mornings mentoring fifth grade girls. Through her church, she also went on a mission’s trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and plans to go on another 10-day mission’s trip to Cochabama, Bolivia.

She believes that the leadership projects and positions that she held has given her an edge over many of her peers, and she is ready for the exciting challenges, responsibilities, and goals that will be set before her in the future.

Matthew Ryan Klock

Matthew Klock has been a resident of Grand Island since September 1997, when he started second grade at Huth Road Elementary School. From an early age, Matt has been involved with sports on Grand Island, including Grand Island Little League, Grand Island Soccer Club and recreational basketball league. Upon graduating from Huth Road, Matt was the recipient of the Presidential Academic Award.

At Connor Middle School, Matt again became very active in sports, playing modified baseball, football, basketball and cross-country. Matt academically continued to do well, making honor roll for all 12 marking periods and receiving the Presidential Gold Academic Award.

Athletics continued to play a significant role for Matt during his four years at Grand Island High School. During this time, he played a sport in every season of every year. Matt has participated and started in varsity and junior varsity football and baseball, JV basketball and varsity indoor track. He has been recognized for his leadership skills as captains for the varsity baseball team, JV basketball and football teams. From an athletic standpoint, he has been the recipient of the Outstanding Male Athlete for GIHS his freshmen and sophomore years, second and third All-League selection for varsity baseball, and first team All-Area selection for varsity baseball as chosen by the Niagara Gazette.

Academically, Matt has maintained a 3.68 grade point average, is in the top 10 percent of the senior class, was the recipient of the PTSA Honor Roll awards for all three years, two-time Pride of the Island honoree and a member of the National Honor Society. Also, he is a member of the Student Advisory Council and the PTSA for all four years.

This past summer, Matt played on an elite travel baseball team, Team New Era, from Depew, where he was the starting centerfielder for this team. With this group, he had the opportunity to travel to Canada, Ohio, West Virginia, and Tennessee to play in various tournaments.

Outside of school, Matt is a member of St. Timothy Lutheran Church and an usher on Sunday mornings. Also, he has participated regularly in Relay For Life through fundraising and participation. Matt is employed by the Grand Island Recreation Department to help with the winter recreation leagues.

Matt is planning to continue his education next fall at a four-year university to study athletic training in the health sciences area.