By Paula Randazzo

Redstone Review

LYONS – The Town of Lyons Community Spirit Award is an annual award granted to one female and one male youth who demonstrate commitment and service to their schools and community.  It is a way that the Town of Lyons can recognize and honor the youth that stand out as leaders in our community.  Both winners this year have been chosen because they consistently display loyalty to their school, respect to others, service to school and community, and integrity through their daily actions. This year’s winners are Madeline Doering and Cameron Walker.

Madeline Doering, better known as Maddie, is currently a sophomore at Lyons Middle Senior High School. In her very short high school career thus far, Doering has dedicated many hours to her school and community. Currently she is a mentor in the school’s Mentoring Program, in which she serves as a support and role model to a younger student. She is one of the youngest of her peers in this particular program and also one of the most dedicated. Doering is also a member of the school’s intergenerational program, G.A.P., and has been since her freshman year.

Doering participates in the group diligently, attending all meetings and investing herself fully in the relationships she forms with the elderly. She has also taken on a new responsibility this year as high school advisor for LMSHS’ middle school group Student Activists. In this role, Doering serves as a mentor to this community service program, while also serving as the group’s photographer and journalist. She regularly submits articles and photos to the school newspaper as well as to local newspapers. Doering also gives her time to LMSHS by serving as the statistician for the HS girls’ basketball team, as well as the MS girls’ softball team, and she participates with yearbook. Two passions of hers that also consume her time are music and tennis. Doering has played flute for the LMSHS Band for the past seven years, and this year has added playing piano for the school’s jazz band. Doering also plays tennis for Sliver Creek High School. For all those who know her, whether a parent, teacher, teammate or friend, all describe Doering as responsible, dependable, focused and determined. She is said to be mature beyond her age, and is a gift to all that know her.

Cameron Walker is a senior at Lyons Middle Senior High School who presents as a very hard working, dedicated student and community member. In his school community, Walker is a very dedicated athlete. His involvement in sports includes varsity football, baseball, and wrestling, all which demand his time, energy, and focus. He recently placed at regionals for wrestling. Walker is also known to be a very talented and dedicated musician, which also demands much of his time and energy. For the past four years, he has played trombone for the high school jazz band, and has done the same for LMSHS band for the past seven years. Currently he is a selected member of the Patriot League Honor Band. Regarding his band involvement, Walker is known to be very loyal and dedicated, has a great attitude, and is always supportive of his peers.

This support to his peers in particular is what led to his involvement in the school’s mentoring group, when one teacher noticed the patience and compassion Walker exuded when mentoring a younger student. He has open mindedly accepted this new role and new responsibility and is serving as a mentor this year, as his inspiration to younger children has been recognized. His service work also extends to the elderly in the community, as he has volunteered in the past with the town’s senior group. Walker feels this work specifically was a very positive experience, as he stated that he completely enjoyed connecting with the elderly, and loved listening to their stories. By all who know him as well, Walker has been described as a fun loving, light hearted, yet strong person, who truly is a shining star. He has his eyes set on college after graduation this year, with hopes of continuing his music, while pursuing a degree in criminal justice.

The Town of Lyons recognized Maddie Doering and Cameron Walker as the Community Spirit Award winners and presented them with a monetary award during the Town of Lyons Parade of Lights on Dec. 5. Congratulations to both of them.

Paula Randazzo is the intervention specialist at the Lyons Middle/Senior High School.

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