The Shawano School District has named six students as recipients of Hawk Way awards, including two students from Shawano Community Middle School who were recognized for standing up to bullies.
Collin Buermann, on three separate occasions, stood up to bullying behavior, District Superintendent Gary Cumberland said.
The first incident was noticed when Buermann helped a student find his hat after bullies took it away and put it in the snow, Cumberland said..
“It might seem like a small thing, but he was the only student in the entire recess who even tried to help the boy,” Cumberland said. “His actions exemplify the Hawk Way.”
The second incident was when Buermann stood up to an eighth-grade student who was verbally and physically bullying a sixth-grade student, Cumberland, and the third incident occurred when Buermann stopped a physical fight between two students, keeping the bully and his victim apart while calling for adults to help.
Kylie Guenther was recognized for combating bullies in her own way when she went to a teacher and expressed concern about a special-needs student being taken advantage of and laughed at by another student.
“Kylie didn’t have to do this herself, but knew in her heart she couldn’t solve this on her own,” Cumberland said. “Having students like Kylie look out for other students and accept her peers for who they are is a great quality to have.”
Kathryn Kugel, a student at Shawano Community High School, was recognized for being a positive role model both in and out of school, Cumberland said. She’s heavily involved in 4-H, including participation in the organization’s state leadership. Kugel also participates in student council, the school’s yearbook, forensics, Destination Imagination, multiple bands, peer support groups and Students Against Destructive Decisions. She also competes in tennis, track and cross-country.
“Kathryn is always striving for leadership positions in clubs, as well as volunteering her time and providing community service,” Cumberland said.
Harold LaRock was nominated for the award for being a “thoughtful student,” Cumberland said. LaRock has shown caring for fellow SCHS students and kindness to his teachers.
“He’s a bit shy, but it doesn’t take him long to warm up to people. He is always very eager to learn,” Cumberland said.
Matthew Schwitzer, a SCMS student, was nominated for going out of his way to make things easy in school, from tightening music stands to repairing drum equipment. Schwitzer is also the school’s student council president and helped write a grant to the Shawano County Retired Teachers Association to bring a bike stunt show to school, Cumberland said.
“He presented on Veterans Day and gave a very respectful speech encouraging students to volunteer in our community,” Cumberland said.
Rounding out the award recipients was middle school student Tristan Szucs. Szucs was nominated for being respectful and being a hard worker, as well as helping out in the school’s weight room.
“He helped a new weight lifter to begin our program,” Cumberland said. “Tristan explained everything to him in detail and is very welcoming. He invited the student to work in his lifting group.”
Staff members at the two schools nominated students who they felt went above and beyond being a good student. The award was started in conjunction with the new Hawk Way philosophy announced at the beginning of the school year in an effort to make sure school was a positive experience.
