Gulf Middle sixth grader honored as district peer volunteer of the year for work at Ritchie Elementary

Grace, a sixth-grade student at Gulf Middle School, was announced as the district’s Peer Volunteer of the Year after years of volunteering at Ritchie Elementary, school staff said during public comments at a recent meeting.

School staff described Grace’s duties as basic classroom and school-office support and praised her reliability and enthusiasm. "Grace is literally my right hand. I don't know how I would get half the stuff done that I need to without her. She is enthusiastic when she comes in and is ready for whatever task I may have for her," a Ritchie Elementary staff member said.

According to the staff member, an email informed them that "Grace was the peer volunteer of the year for the district," a notification that prompted an emotional reaction: "I said, oh my goodness. Grace got peer volunteer of the year. And I think we both almost cried because we were so excited," the staff member said. Grace told the meeting, "It's a very fun thing to do and especially when you wanna help out other students." She also said being recognized made her proud: "Being the outstanding volunteer makes me proud of myself."

Speakers said Grace began volunteering at Ritchie Elementary when she was in kindergarten and performs tasks such as handling early-dismissal phone calls, packing snacks, and making copies. Those details were presented as part of public comment; no formal action or vote was recorded in relation to the recognition.

The remarks were made during the meeting's public comment period and focused on community volunteerism at the elementary school level. No further agenda items or follow-up tasks tied to the recognition were reported during the segment.