Wenatchee High School’s retiring social studies teacher Jay Young was awarded the Super Staff Award during the Heart of the Panther assembly on May 29. The award is presented to a staff member who exemplifies the model adult leader for the students to follow at WHS.

“The reason I was given this award was because I enjoy working with the students,” Young said. “I’ve given my life to this high school, and I have absolutely no regrets.”

There are five different categories for Heart of the Panther awards: Attitude, Involvement, Extra Effort, Super Staff, and Community Support. Deanna Bollinger of Nancy Party Rentals received the Community Support award, senior Francesca Nevil received the award for Attitude, senior Bryce Newberry received the Involvement award, and the award for Extra Effort was given to senior Whitni Robinson.

The award for Community Support, which normally goes to a business that has gone above and beyond to support WHS, was given to Bollinger of Nancy Party Rentals for her contribution to school dances, the Lip Dub, assemblies, and more.

The Heart of the Panther Award is given to students, staff, and community members of WHS who illustrate true Panther Pride and who understand the meaning of commitment and dedication since 1990.

Assistant Principal Ricardo Iniguez presented Nevil with the Attitude Award.

“This award is given to an outstanding student with a positive attitude at school, home, and in everyday life,” said Iniguez.

“I was so completely excited and proud and overwhelmed with emotions,” Nevil said. “[Receiving the Attitude Award] is such a huge honor, and I feel so humbled to receive it.”

The Involvement award is presented to a student who is involved in activities, academics, and community events.

“I had planned the entire assembly with a lot of the office staff, and had absolutely no clue, so they did a great job keeping it a secret,” Newberry said. “It was really overwhelming, but I was so honored and I’m very grateful to have been so involved.”

The Heart of the Panther Award also recognizes a student who has done a 180-degree turnaround in academics, athletics, attendance, or where any other noticeable change has been made. After moving here her sophomore year with almost no credits, Robinson had a lot to make up. It is for this immense effort she put into graduate that she won the Extra Effort Award.

“[Winning the Extra Effort Award] was definitely very unexpected, but it was a really good feeling,” Robinson said.

Even when during her senior year her father moved to North Dakota and she was left to take care of herself, Robinson kept pushing forward to get her cap and gown.

“It was pretty hard. I had to do credit retrieval and everything, and there were a lot of times when I wanted to give up,” Robinson said. “But I’m glad I did it, because I’m graduating [this] week.”