The Rotary Club of Fulton recently selected recipients of five $1,000 scholarships and 12 Nolin Courtesy Awards at area schools.
The Fulton Rotary has been awarding scholarships to Callaway County high school seniors to further their education for more than 40 years. The Nolin Courtesy Award, established in 1944, recognizes local youth in Fulton elementary and middle schools for their courtesy and good citizenship.
This year, not only did Cora Speer receive the Nolin Courtesy award, her mother Katie Belenchia got to relive the moment when she had received it.
"I won it in 1994," Belenchia said. "It's still, to this day, the favorite award I've ever gotten."
She said sharing the award with her daughter makes her proud.
"Sometimes we go through life and forget about the simple random acts of kindness," Belenchia added.
The scholarship recipients are:
Fulton High School - Tucker Caswell, Drury University, and Savannah Hart, Missouri State Technical College
New Bloomfield High School - Clayten Walker, University of Missouri
North Callaway High School - Allyson Eichman, Lipscomb University, Nashville, Tennessee
South Callaway High School - Maebrie Turner, Truman State University
Recipients of the Nolin Courtesy Awards are:
Bartley Elementary School - Khiauna Gay and Aaron Corey
Bush Elementary School - Christian Mahoro and Marwa Sherzad
Kingdom Christian Academy - Jonus Zerr and Victoria Fugaro
McIntire Elementary School - Wyatt Wilfley and Cora Speer
Fulton Middle School - Alexander Noel and Kauri Henderson
St. Peter's eighth grade - Olivia Mobley
Missouri School for the Deaf - Rhiannon Gonzales
"Mose" Nolin, owner of a local drugstore and member of the Fulton Rotary Club, started the tradition to honor students in Fulton schools. Nolin believed students should be recognized for their courtesy and good citizenship, and he provided the funds for the Nolin Courtesy Award. After his death, the club continued to present the award in his honor. For 71 years, the club has kept this tradition alive by recognizing hundreds of outstanding Fulton students.
Henry Niles, owner of Callaway Carriers, chairs the scholarship project for the Fulton Rotary. Jacque Cowherd, superintendent of Fulton Public Schools, chairs the Nolin Courtesy Award project.