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Pride of Pecatonica awards honor students and a staff member
Summary
At the Pecatonica Area School District board meeting, the board presented Pride of Pecatonica awards to three students and a staff member, recognizing academic growth, leadership and classroom support; staff and students described nominees' contributions.
The Pecatonica Area School District board opened its meeting with presentations of the Pride of Pecatonica awards, recognizing achievements by students and a staff member.
For the high school award, a staff member announced Luke Leonard as the recipient, saying the teachers’ nominations coalesced around words such as “driven, kind, bright” and noting Leonard’s on‑field sportsmanship awards in football and basketball. The presenter said Leonard “does it in the classroom, he does it in the band room, he does it on his competitive fields,” and that he seeks outstanding outcomes for his peers.
Mrs. Hendrickson introduced the middle‑school honoree, Chelsea Schlafly, praising the seventh‑grader’s growing confidence, improved time management and classroom participation. Mrs. Hendrickson said Chelsea “has really grown into herself this year” and noted teachers’ reports that Chelsea consistently raises her hand and contributes in class.
At the elementary level staff described Colton as a “great role model and friend,” recounting a classmate’s example of Colton cheering up a peer at lunch and helping others with schoolwork. Colton’s teacher highlighted his attention to detail and willingness to assist classmates.
The board also recognized Sarah Henderson for her work in special education. A board presenter described Henderson as an “outstanding special education teacher” who has demonstrated compassion and collaborative practice since joining the district in 02/2019, and praised her consistent professionalism and efforts to improve student outcomes. The presenter noted Henderson’s role in enabling on‑site therapy visits by a therapy dog, Maverick, which staff said is “absolutely loved by the students.”
Board members applauded the honorees and invited recipients and families to have photos taken after the recognitions. The awards portion concluded with the board moving on to the remainder of the meeting.
The awards segment featured direct remarks from multiple staff members and faculty describing nominee traits and classroom impact; no formal board action was necessary beyond recognition.
