"If everyone in this world volunteered and contributed to their communities then this world would be a dramatically different and better place," said Donald Polaski, a 16-year-old junior at Churchville-Chili Senior High School, who was awarded the Monroe County 2006 Young Citizen of the Year Award. Polaski was given the award for his volunteer work and contributions to his school and community. Specifically, individuals such as Polaski, who receive the award demonstrate a commitment to public service by volunteering in the community are a positive example to their peers and take up leadership roles in school or community organizations. Polaski received the Young Citizen of the Year award on June 8 at a ceremony held at the Monroe County Office Building. The ceremony was led by County Executive Maggie Brooks. Also in attendance was the mayor of the Village of Churchville, Donald Ehrmentraut. "I am very proud that we have dedicated and focused young students like Donald in our community who, at a young age, recognize how important it is to have a proactive role in our community, school and church," said Ehrmentraut. "Students like Donald will be the leaders of tomorrow." The Boy Scouts of America are just one of the organizations that Polaski is actively involved in, which includes him holding numerous leadership positions. He has been part of the Boy Scouts since he was six-years-old, and is currently a senior patrol leader. Through the Boy Scouts, Polaski has been part of many community projects. His latest project involved determining the distances of all the sidewalks and walking trails in the Village of Churchville. At different points of each trail, he will paint feet that will designate how far a person has walked. For example, an individual might see a painted blue foot on the sidewalk showing that he or she has walked two and a half miles. There will be a large map at the village office showing all the walking trails that residents can use in helping them plan their rout, depending on the distance they want to exercise. Under his leadership, fellow scout members will participate in the project which will involve approximately 100 hours of community service. "The Village of Churchville has a lot of sidewalks that make it very easy to get around," he said. "The sidewalks are also great for those people who exercise so I hope this project helps them." In addition to Polaski's activities in the Boy Scouts, he is recognized for his achievements at the academic level, including being on the honor roll and high honor roll, as well as a member of the National Honor Society. His favorite subjects are math and science and his long-term career plan is to be a research physicist. Polaski is also on his school's swim team and plays the saxophone in the school band. He is a member of the Students Against Destructive Decision Club, which opposes student drug and alcohol use, as well as a member of the Students for the Environment Club. When asked why it was important for him to volunteer and be a member of all these organizations, Polaski said: "I grew up thinking that it's right to give back to the community, and that no matter what age you are, you can always volunteer somewhere." July 2, 2006 |
