Youth Services
Youth Services
Chair: Anne Sehne
3rd Grade Dictionaries/Josh the Otter - Chair: Sandy Lane
The Tunkhannock Club’s participation in the Dictionary Project started approximately 16 years ago (2002). Tunkhannock Rotarians distribute dictionaries to third grade students in the Tunkhannock Area School District. The Club has purchased and distributed over 3,377 dictionaries to third graders over this period.
The goal of the Josh the Baby Otter Water Safety Program is to educate children with a fun and simple message: To stay away from water unless accompanied by an adult. “Josh the Baby Otter” was created to help children comprehend and remember this important message. Ultimately, the aim is to create a water safety behavior for all children that will be passed on from generation to generation.
The Club began its participation in the Josh the Baby Otter Program in 2013 during the Presidency of Karen Fuller. Books with audio CDs are purchased by the Club and provided to H.A.N.D.S. for inclusion in their Kinder Camp activities for pre-school children. Children who do not participate in Kinder Camp receive their book and CD when they enter kindergarten.
High School Scholarships - Chair: Terri Detrick
Every May, the Club awards two $1,000 scholarships (1 academic and 1 vocational) to seniors graduating from Tunkhannock Area High School, who wish to continue their education in an academic or vocational direction.
Rotary District Student Contests - Chair:
Annually, Rotary District 7410 sponsors essay and/or poster contests on a specified topic that is open to local high school students. This committee evaluates all entries and selects a single entry in each category for submission to the District competition from the Tunkhannock Rotary.
Youth Service - Co-Chairs: Anne Sehne & Terri Detrick
Interact: Marta Kovacs- Ruiz & Dave Wilson are the Rotary Club Advisors to the TAHS Interact Club. The Faculty Advisor is Tommasina Fiorillo.
RYLA - Samantha Maruzzelli is the contact with the TAHS for selection of the students for the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, which takes place at Keystone College for approximately 1 week in late June.
Youth Exchange - Anne Sehne is Youth Exchange Officer for our Exchange student programs and Terri Detrick is Youth Exchange Counselor.
Rotary Relays Invitational - Chair:
From 1981 (first relays on April 25, 1981) until 2012, the Club hosted local junior (1991-2012) and senior (1981-2007) high school track teams at the annual Rotary Relays, which were Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association sanctioned. Although for a time both junior and senior high school teams competed in the events, toward the end of this timeframe (2008-2012), the event focused only on junior high school teams. Athletes from all over Northeastern PA participated in different track and field events.
Unfortunately, after 33 years, the Program was discontinued in 2013 when the PA state budget cuts for the schools resulted in some junior high school track and field teams being disbanded and/or unable to find funds to even transport their athletes to the event.
After a four-year hiatus, the Rotary Relays returned in 2016. Junior high athletes (grades 7-9) are eligible. All PIAA eligibility and rules apply. All track events are professionally timed by Wil-Time Event Management. Within each Division (Boys & Girls), medals are awarded to the top three relay teams in each of the 14 (7 track and 7 field) events. Additionally, within each Division, trophies are awarded to the top overall field team, and the overall Invitational Champion.
There are 7 relay races on the track (4 x 100/110 shuttle hurdles, 4 x 800 relay, 4 x 200 relay, 4 x 1600 relay, 4 x 100 relay, mid-distance medley and 4 x 400 relay). The field events included: throws (shotput, discus and javelin), pole vault, high jump, long jump and triple jump.