In Their Own Words

Mon., April 13, 1998

Nine individuals and one group were recently honored in the Teen Division of the Chase Youth Awards. We asked the winners to tell us in their own words what the category they won in means. Here’s what some had to say (award nominees are on Page B8):

Anngela Groke - Community service

“Community service brings to mind the warm fuzzies I get from helping someone else.”

Kasey Graham - Creativity

“When creativity bursts into a room, everything around him is turned sideways or upside down. He is nearly blind to normalcy and can only truly see something when it is distorted or rearranged. He will look at a blank page and see nothing but lines of music. He tries nearly everything though others say it is impossible. Creativity can visit OZ without ever leaving Kansas.”

Anthony Walters - Diversity

“Diversity to me is any differences that exist in any given community whether that be ethnic, religious, differently abled, different hair styles, different music, etc. I feel that if we celebrate diversity as opposed to letting it divide us, then our community will be better as a result.”

Michael Raven - Entrepreneurship

“Entrepreneurship means: To innovate, propagate and create something as a result of the pursuit of a passion. Not necessarily for profit or prestige, but for the simple love of doing whatever it is that you do.”

Eric Robison - Environmental concern

“Environmental concern is being able to look around you and realize all the blessings we have that are given to us by nature. Then once realizing, to protect them if necessary.”

Nichole Stalcup - Personal Achievement

“Personal achievement means personal growth and development through life’s obstacles and, as a result, I have accomplished and continue to accomplish.”

Angela Ciabattari - Leadership

“To me the very essence of leadership is found in the following statement: ‘We cannot do great things on this earth, we can only do small things with great love,’ by Mother Theresa.”

Derrick Dyer - Courage

After overcoming a life of personal hardships, Dyer is on track to graduate this year. One of his goals now is to organize a group of young people to renovate the Garland Theater. “It has been one of the only theaters I could afford, I would like to give something back.”

Andrew Rigsby - Citizenship

“Citizenship to me means being dedicated to improving both yourself and your community. It’s about taking an active and giving role in your personal, school or work, and community lives.”

Explorer Post #941 - Group award

Twenty-one students in the Spokane Police Department’s Explorer Post provided more than 11,000 hours of service to the community, representing “the epitome of civic youth volunteerism,” according to an adviser.

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