With the Press Banner’s first graduation edition of the year, we would like to extend our congratulations to every graduate, for persevering through these tumultuous times. We’d also like to spend time commending a very special graduate from Scotts Valley High School. This past Thursday, the Scotts Valley Exchange Club was proud to present Carson Bissey, a new SVHS graduate, with the A.C.E. Award. The honor is presented annually to students who have overcome great obstacles during their high school experience, in order to graduate and pursue bright futures.
Victor Alejandro, a new member of the Scotts Valley Exchange Club, was more than eager to fill in the details. “The National Exchange Club is focused on all around service and ‘exchanging’ ideas with local communities. We follow a national charter, focused on supporting fire and police communities in Scotts Valley.” The Club just celebrated its 50th anniversary this past year. Nationally, it’s focused on “Americanism, Youth Programs and Community Service… benefiting [individual communities] from the promotion of pride in our great country, college scholarships, youth mentoring, service to the underprivileged, and other services tailored to serve the needs of its citizens.”
Bissey is one of the youth benefiting from the annual A.C.E. Award, which stands for “Accepting the Challenge of Excellence.” Alejandro described how the club picks its recipient, “The award is granted to students who have made a dramatic change in their attitudes and performance throughout high school.” To find the perfect candidate, the “SVEC asks for school counselors to submit students that have overcome hardship and might be overlooked for their accomplishments with more traditional awards.” Sarah Hershey, the SVHS counselor responsible for submitting Bissey as a contender, explains, “Carson has shown himself to be worthy of the award.”
Alongside the award, he received a five-hundred-dollar scholarship for his future, as a student at UCLA. Bissey described the motivation for his award, “I moved here from Florida, during my junior year, when I was 17. It takes a lot to get started in a new place, but in the two years since then, doing so has helped me grow so much as a person. I had to develop a passion for school that I did not have before, because that’s what it took to stay on track academically. I had to gain a new confidence in myself, because that’s what it took to form new friendships and find fulfillment. I had to learn the importance of making my own decisions– of holding myself accountable not just for schoolwork, but for everything else– because that’s what it takes to get started in a new place. For me, those lessons made these last few years valuable beyond estimate. I can’t think of a better place to have spent this time than in Scotts Valley.”
We are so proud of Carson Bissey and all of the graduates! As they begin their journeys away from high school, we are excited to cover what brilliant things accomplish. If you’d like more information about the Scotts Valley Exchange Club, call (831)438-1000.
