Community of Spanish Lake

Hazelwood East, Larimore students learn ‘It Pays to be Good’

Even though they are finished with school, or in some cases graduated, several Hazelwood East High School students and one from Larimore Elementary received awards from the Spanish Lake Community Association (SLCA) recently.

“It Pays to be Good,” a program sponsored by the SLCA and a Good Neighbor Grant from State Farm Insurance Companies, through local agent Elveeta Macon, honored eight students for their recent academic or community service accomplishments during a reception at Larimore Elementary. It Pays to be Good encourages and rewards outstanding student citizenship and excellent student behavior.

Jada Brown, a first grade student at Larimore, received her honor for heroism. While visiting her father and stepmother in rural Missouri, the car in which Jada was a passenger was involved in an accident. Despite major injuries and that the accident caused their car to catch fire, Jada freed herself and her younger sister, who rode in a child seat in the back.

Terron Townson and Brandon Richard, who recently graduated, donated a day of their spring break in March to remove storm debris from the property of 10 Spanish Lake senior citizens.

Seniors Alana Gray and Patrick Springer, as well as junior Josh Pettengill and sophomores Josh McClendon and Matthew Woodard, were all honored for their participation in the FIRST St. Louis Regional Robotics competition, also held in March. Hazelwood East placed 14th out of 45 schools from around the area.

“I’m glad I got it,” Springer said of the award. “I’m just excited that I could do something good for the community.”

Pettengill echoed those statements.

“It’s good to be recognized for what we have done,” he said. “Next year, we are going to nationals in robotics.”

“I had a lot of fun learning a lot of things,” McClendon said. “A lot of times, we do things and people aren’t really recognized. It’s something we didn’t do to get recognition.”

Students received $25 gift certificates to the retailer of their choice and Jamestown Mall also offered mall gift certificates to the students.
Photo Information:

Several Hazelwood School District students received plaques and other honors from the Spanish Lake Community Association during a recent reception. The students’ good work did not go unnoticed as they received their awards from the “It Pays to be Good” program. From left to right, Charlotte Petty, Spanish Lake Word newspaper publisher, holds the plaque for Hazelwood East High senior Brandon Richard; Shirley Joellenbeck, community service department secretary at Hazelwood East holds the award for East senior Alana Gray; Kathleen Farber, a first grade teacher at Larimore Elementary holds the award for first grader Jada Brown; John Thro with St. Louis County Neighborhood Preservation holds East senior Terron Townson’s award; East students sophomore Matthew Woodard, senior Patrick Springer, junior Joshua Pettengill and sophomore Joshua McClendon show off their own awards.

The Hazelwood School District serves nearly 20,000 students and is the second largest district in St. Louis County. Communities in the district include Hazelwood, Black Jack, Spanish Lake, a large section of Florissant, portions of Bridgeton, Bellefontaine Neighbors and Ferguson and several square miles of unincorporated St. Louis County. The mission of the Hazelwood School District is to launch learners on a quest for high standards, fairness and distinguished achievement.

Photo Information:

Several Hazelwood School District students received plaques and other honors from the Spanish Lake Community Association during a recent reception. The students’ good work did not go unnoticed as they received their awards from the “It Pays to be Good” program. From left to right, Charlotte Petty, Spanish Lake Word newspaper publisher, holds the plaque for Hazelwood East High senior Brandon Richard; Shirley Joellenbeck, community service department secretary at Hazelwood East holds the award for East senior Alana Gray; Kathleen Farber, a first grade teacher at Larimore Elementary holds the award for first grader Jada Brown; John Thro with St. Louis County Neighborhood Preservation holds East senior Terron Townson’s award; East students sophomore Matthew Woodard, senior Patrick Springer, junior Joshua Pettengill and sophomore Joshua McClendon show off their own awards.