Each spring, SWHS counseling hosts a ceremony to celebrate juniors who have shown outstanding academic achievement and potential. This ceremony, known as the Junior Book Awards, was held on the morning of May 29th this year, and welcomed recipients and families into the auditorium to honor their students.
Junior book awards are a tradition in which colleges and universities sponsor an award, and send high schools a book, certificate of recognition, and, depending on the institution, a monetary scholarship. School counselors then select juniors that they feel embody the criteria of each award.
Colleges and universities from around the nation take part in this tradition, and around 20 SWHS juniors received awards from institutions including Endicott College, St. Bonaventure University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Yale University, Harvard University, and more.
“Throughout the selection process, we look for students whose high school accomplishments reflect the qualities valued by the colleges and universities presenting the awards. That includes academic achievement, involvement in school and community life, leadership, character, hard work, and the positive impression students have made during their time at SWHS,” said School Counseling Curriculum Specialist, Mr. Wry.
This annual event is organized by the counseling department, and requires time and effort for it to run efficiently and effectively, and properly honor each recipient.
“The main focus was making sure all scholarship awards were received on time and ensuring that every student responded to their RSVP so we could accurately plan the event. Fortunately, I have an incredible team in the Counseling Department, and their support, organization, and teamwork helped make the entire process run smoothly from start to finish,” counseling office clerk, Mrs. Soto, told The Prowl.
Mrs. Soto is relatively new in her role as the counseling office clerk, but she has been able to form connections with a number of students.
“Last year was my first year, and I did not know many of the students receiving awards. This year, I had the opportunity to work with and get to know many of the recipients throughout their high school journey. It made the ceremony feel even more meaningful because I was able to celebrate students whose growth, hard work, and accomplishments I had witnessed firsthand,” said Soto.
Many students expressed their appreciation for being recognized with a book award.
“I feel very grateful that I was a part of that group and that we had an opportunity to be recognized for the effort we put in,” recipient of the Endicott College junior book award, Quinn Worthington, told The Prowl.
Although every year has their standout recipients, this year’s group was deemed particularly special.
“This year’s ceremony continued the important tradition of recognizing students for their accomplishments, but what stood out was the opportunity to celebrate the unique strengths and contributions of this particular group of students. Each year feels a little different because the students being honored bring their own stories, achievements, and impact on the SWHS community,” said Mr. Wry.
Award recipients, along with the rest of the Class of 2027, are moving into their senior year, where a stronger focus will be placed on looking to the future, applying to colleges, and exploring potential career paths. The annual junior book award ceremony is an opportunity to slow down and recognize the accomplishments of 11th grade students, before their final year of school.
