April 23, 2020
Hodges and Case Selected as Rotary Student of the Semester
Two Prince Avenue seniors have been selected as the Rotary Student of the Semester chosen by teachers for their demonstration of the Rotary Club motto of “Service Above Self”. Sammy Hodges was selected for fall semester, and Mackenzie Case was selected for spring semester.
Sammy Hodges is the son of Kenneth and Therese Hodges and has attended Prince Avenue for eight years. Sammy chose high school science teacher Carrie Owens to share this honor with him at a Rotary Club breakfast. Sammy explains that Mrs. Owens has pushed him to grow both inside and outside of the classroom preparing him for the upper level science classes that he will encounter in college. Mrs. Owens describes Sammy as a bright young man who applies himself 100 percent to whatever he endeavors to do. “Sammy is not only an excellent student, but he is always willing to serve others. He is dependable and friendly and has a true servant’s heart.”
During his time at Prince, Sammy has been active on the Varsity Academic Team, Student Government, National Honors Society, Beta Club, Interact Club, Varsity Baseball, and Fine Arts productions. He is a two-time Wolverine Academian, and he placed third at State Literary Meet in extemporaneous speaking. Sammy attends Athens First United Methodist Church and also enjoys volunteering with the Salvation Army, Sparrows Nest, and the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia.
Sammy describes Prince Avenue as a truly welcoming place. “Whether it was middle school class field trips, spiritual retreats, or the mission trip to Costa Rica, Prince Avenue has always helped cultivate relationships within each grade.” Sammy also says that Prince has prepared him for college spiritually. “I will forever be grateful for all of the things Prince Avenue has done for me, and I cannot wait to see the impact PACS will have on so many other students in the future.”
Sammy plans to attend Georgia Tech and major in biology or biomedical engineering.
Mackenzie Case is the daughter of Alan and Cindy Case and has attended Prince Avenue for thirteen years. Mackenzie chose high school Spanish teacher Karen Ruiz as her teacher representative to share this honor. Mackenzie explains that Mrs. Ruiz is a caring teacher who has helped her grow in her relationship with Christ. Mrs. Ruiz describes Mackenzie as a great student inside and outside of the classroom. “A characteristic that I love about Mackenzie is that she is selfless. I always see her helping other students with their work before she tends to her own. She is one of the hardest working students in the school and it shows with always being on the Headmaster’s All A Honor Roll. I can’t wait to see what great things she will continue to do in college.”
During her time at Prince, Mackenzie was a three-sport varsity athlete playing soccer, basketball, and volleyball. She was also active in Prince Bands and was a member of the National Honor Society, Beta Club, and Tri-M. Mackenzie attends New Covenant Worship Center where she volunteers in the nursery.
Mackenzie describes PACS as a supportive, family environment in which all age groups know and support each other and teachers care beyond the classroom. “Prince has helped me accomplish my academic goals by providing me with the opportunity to take rigorous courses in small group settings. All of the faculty at Prince is extremely supportive and strives to help the students in every way possible, which takes a significant amount of stress off of the students, allowing them to focus more on school and extracurricular activities.”
After graduation, Mackenzie plans to attend the University of Georgia.
Congratulations to both Sammy and Mackenzie on receiving this special honor from the Rotary Club and for displaying the characteristics of “Service Above Self” during their time as students at Prince Avenue.