Two students, two staff earn Endeavor Award

Kellie Peterson/Editor-in-Chief

The Endeavor Award honors people who deserve recognition, but often go unrecognized even though they are essential to the function and support of the activities they are involved with. CFHS winners include seniors Arlene Freudenberg and Tom Blanford, Director of Secondary Education Dan Conrad and guidance counselor Ryan Flaherty.

This year, the Endeavor Award was expanded to include Northern University High School and Waterloo East and Waterloo West High Schools in addition to Cedar Falls High School. It was under the primary control of a committee composed of representatives from the University of Northern Iowa’s Leadership Studies course, the local Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) and Allen College. Both students and non-students including teachers, administrators and volunteers are eligible to receive the Endeavor Award with the number of recipients per school depending on population.

“I feel honored that I was chosen to receive this award and appreciate that I was selected by the Student Senate Officers,” recipient senior Tom Blanford said.

Flaherty said that he, too, felt honored to receive the Endeavor Award. Flaherty said he was pretty surprised to receive the award, “probably because it was nothing that I was expecting,” he said.

Flaherty received the award for the work that he does as faculty adviser to Student Senate.
“He goes way above and beyond for the projects they do. No one understands the time and energy that takes,” counselor Susan Langan said.

Blanford received the Endeavor Award for his Student Senate and Harmony activities within school and his involvement as a Northeast Iowa Food Bank volunteer and member of the McElroy Trust Gold Star Teachers Committee and Teen Trust Board of Directors outside of school.

Freudenberg received the Endeavor Award for her involvement with Student Senate, which included her involvement with the Student Food Drive, as well as her involvement with theater at Cedar Falls High School and numerous other activities. Conrad received the award for all of the support and enthusiasm he demonstrates for student groups at the high school.
The recipients were chosen by a vote of the Student Senate officers from a group of potential recipients, which was also chosen by the officers.

“I think that it’s really nice to recognize people who do a lot of work behind the scenes,” president senior Joe Fagersten said.

Secretary senior Mackensie Smith had similar thoughts as to the nature of the Endeavor Award.

“I think is a really good way to recognize people who donate a lot but normally don’t get noticed,” she said.

The recepients will be honored at a ceremony on April 22nd at Allen College.

 

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