GHS students impress at Youth Awareness competition

Lauren+Benchoff+and+Nate+Young

Brianna Fernandes

Lauren Benchoff and Nate Young

BRIANNA FERNANDES, Staff Writer

The results of the Gloucester High School Youth Awareness competition are in, and once again GHS has distanced itself from the pack.  For the 9th out of 10 years of competition, GHS speakers have been recognized with scholarship awards for their outstanding work in preparing and delivering their skits in this scholarship program funded by the International Moose Organization.

Christian Sanfilippo, Corryn Ulrich, Lauren Benchoff, Nate Young, Samantha Orlando, and Jacob Belcher gave individual presentations to students from first to fourth grade. Their goal was to teach kids valuable morals and characteristics.

Benchoff, Young, and  Belcher have all been awarded a $500 scholarship by the Moose. Belcher placed second, Benchoff placed third, and Young gave the most kids talks overall.

“My presentation was about compassion and caring.” said Benchoff “I used candles and I was in a dark room. It started off with one candle and explained that when you are kind to others you can make a situation better or in regards to the candles, brighter.”

Benchoff also had her students write compliments about another person and give it to them, which they got to keep.

Benchoff and another student from Greenfield, MA will receive an all expense paid trip to Michigan to compete in the International Congress in late April into early May. These two students will be representing our region.

At the International Congress, sixty students will compete for five scholarships valued from $2,000 to $12,000.

Benchoff and Belcher will be presenting to first and second graders at West Parish Elementary School.