Senior Lauren Streng was honored as January Rotary Student of the Month. She was chosen for her leadership abilities and academic excellence. Streng was shocked when she opened the letter stating she had received the award.

“My dad is a part of the Rotary Club and I knew that it meant a lot to him,” Streng said. “They are a really cool group of people who stand for service above self and that is a big part of my life. Being honored by a group that is motivated by something that is a part of you is really cool.”

Typically, the Rotary Students of the Month are invited to a luncheon. However, the ceremony was held virtually through a Zoom meeting due to COVID-19 regulations. Although Streng did not get the typical experience, she was glad she got the opportunity to attend the meeting.

“I didn’t really mind the meeting being over zoom,” Streng said. “It would have been nice to see everyone in person and get that experience. But, at the same time, it’s kind of a lot to see everyone. Also, because it was on Zoom, my mom was able to join the meeting.”

Streng was asked to choose a person of significance to accompany her on the call. She chose English teacher Angel Dean.

“I had Mrs. Dean for Honors English 10 and I really enjoyed her class,” Streng said. “I felt like the entire class was a family and everyone was connected . She put an emphasis on reaching out to every single student to make sure they felt involved in some way within the class. Her personality is great.”

Streng was honored to be recognized by the Rotary Club and had many takeaways.

“It really made me realize how many amazing staff members we have here at Grand Haven. I had to choose a staff member to bring with me. I took a while to think about it because I didn’t want to be rash. I just went back through all the teachers I’ve ever had as well as all of the staff members. It’s made me realize how many amazing people there are in our education system.”