A dedicated group of Ellsworth High School juniors and seniors recently reached a milestone in their two-year journey with the Noontime Rotary program, completing an awesome service learning project that directly supports the entire EHS student body.
The Noontime Rotary program is a long-standing tradition at EHS, where faculty nominate several students at the start of their junior year to participate in a two-year leadership and mentorship experience. Meeting once a month at the UMA Ellsworth center, students engage with community and business leaders to learn essential life skills, including resume building, interviewing, and leadership strategies.
This year’s group was particularly engaged, choosing to focus their 2026 project on student wellness and accessibility. After polling their peers to identify which supplies were most needed or would be most utilized within the school, the students set out to fundraise and knocked it out of the park! Today, the students met with Noontime Rotarians and school staff to deliver the supplies, which included everything from granola bars and snacks to essential hygiene items.
The delivery is a testament to the power of the program’s mentorship model. By connecting students with community leaders, the Noontime Rotary provides a platform for students to take ownership of projects that make a tangible difference. A huge shout out to our community leaders for being great mentors to our students and to guidance counselor Jennifer Smith and school social worker Amy VanDorn for working closely with our kids to help them best reach their goals!
Congratulations to this year's participants for their hard work, empathy, and leadership in supporting their fellow students – we couldn’t be more proud!