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32 • The Beacon May 8, 2025
Ridgewood, River View students celebrated at breakfast
Ridgewood and River View students were honored at the McDonald’ s Ray Kroc Youth Achievement Awards Breakfast. The awards celebrate students who exemplify leadership, citizenship, scholarship and sportsmanship, both in the classroom and in their communities.
Ridgewood High School senior Kaylee Kunze was honored with the award. She was a member of her school volleyball team for three years, a member of the basketball team for one year, was a member of the bowling team the first two years it was offered and a member of the softball team for four years.
She received an academic achievement award for all of these sports for maintaining above a 3.0 GPA. She has been in the Drama Club for four years, been a part of mixed chorus for four years and part of chorale for one year. She was in Art Club for one year, Teen Institute for two years, a member of the National Honor Society, in Foreign Language Club for four years, was the vice president her junior year and
Kaylee Kunze Brittleigh Bates Kyndal Wesney Adalynn Endsley
president this year. Kunze also was one of 50 students in Ohio to become certified by their school in AI.
Outside of school she has been a dancer at Jody’ s Dance for four years and helps watch the kids in the nursery and Sunday school classes at her church.
“ I believe that I have made the biggest impact in citizenship,” Kunze said.“ I believe this because I have been a part of many sports teams and clubs. I do not confine myself to one box, and I am always open to trying new things. I try to lead by example and try to show others that you do not have to stick to just one thing.”
Kunze plans to attend Bowling Green State University and major in tourism, hospitality and special events with a possible minor in Spanish.
The middle school winner from Ridgewood was eighth-grader Brittleigh Bates. She is involved in Ridgewood High School FFA, RMS basketball and rec softball. She has received the Stock Market Games Award, Above the Line, principals role and 4-Star General Award twice.
Outside of school she is involved with 4-H, park cleanups, food drives, volunteering at softball biddy camps, travel softball, Ridgewood Rec, volunteering at concession stands during rec, high school softball and basketball games, and working with FFA to do AG for Elementary.
“ There are two areas that
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I have shown the biggest impact. Those are leadership and sportsmanship,” Bates said.“ I’ ve shown both on and off the softball field and basketball court. I had to show leadership and sportsmanship on the basketball court due to very few eighth-graders being on the team.
“ On the softball field, I showed both because I’ m a catcher, and as a catcher, you have to be a leader and communicate what’ s happening on the field. In the classroom I feel that I show leadership because I am constantly helping my classmates when they need help or a different perspective on things.”
Her goal for high school is to take honors classes with intent to graduate with
honors.
“ I would like to start taking college classes my junior year,” Bates said.“ There are many careers I have in mind, but I am undecided on which career path so far.”
River View High School senior Kyndal Wesney received the award. Her school-related extracurriculars include cheerleading captain, sixth place in the state for cosmetology, Student Council, National Honor Society, National Technical Honor Society vice president, den leader, and she completed a senior project.
Outside of school she has been involved in 4-H for six years, serving as vice president for one year and one year as a 4-H camp
counselor. She attends NewPointe Community Church.
“ I think I have made the biggest impacts in citizenship and leadership,” Wesney said.“ In my senior project, I helped the community by having the shelter residents at First Step Family Violence come into my school at the career center, and we gave them a day of pampering. In leadership I have impacted because I was on the leadership summit group for two years, am cheer captain, on NHDS, I am the senior class secretary, I was a den leader, a representative for Student Council and am National Technical Honor Society vice president. During these leadership roles, I have made my impact in conflict resolution and problem-solving.”
Wesney is a licensed cosmetologist and has her own private salon booth at The Wright Place In Coshocton.
River View High School eighth-grader Adalynn Endsley also was honored. At school she is involved with Student Council, the
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Playground updates showcased
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A ceremony was held May 2 at River View Community Park to thank donors and show the updates made to the playground.