Kutztown Rotary honors February Students of the Month

Members of the Kutztown Rotary Club honored Katelyn Heckman and Samantha Griffing Katelyn as February Students of the Month during a Feb. 15 ceremony.

Each month throughout the school year, Kutztown Area High School and Brandywine Heights Area High School administrators each select one student for this award based collectively on academic achievement, school participation, and community contributions.

This month’s the ceremony was held at the Lyons Fire Company in conjunction with the Kutztown Rotary Clubs’ 87th Annual Farmers’ Night Celebration. The two high school students were recognized for their participation in farming and agriculture as well as their other achievements.

Katelyn Heckman

The daughter of Tracie and Chris Heckman of Kutztown is a senior at Kutztown Area High School. A FFA leader throughout high school, she served as FFA Secretary 22-23 and 2324, Dairy Judging CDA, 3rd Instate Dairy Judging 2022 and raised, shown and sold cattle through FFA and 4H.

Katelyn works on her grandmothers dairy farm; milking, calf feeding and assists with breeding selections. She recently worked at Dunkin Donuts as a shift leader. Katelyn also is Lehigh Valley amputee support group volunteer.

After graduation Katelyn plans to go to college and wishes to major in pre-veterinary animal science and then move forward and attend a vet school.

Samantha Griffing

The daughter of Chasity and Paul Griffing of Alburtis, Samantha is a senior of Brandywine Heights High School. She has been active in the National Technical Honors Society though high school and served as President 2022-2023.

Samantha is active taking care of the family’s farm animals and her goats. When time allows she loves drawing and painting especially images of her favorite animals.

Samantha works as a personal shopper at Walmart and volunteers at Head Start at her school.

After graduation, Samantha plans on attending college for meteorology.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMY SHELLER, KUTZTOWN ROTARY CLUB Kutztown Rotarian Doug Wunder presented a certificate of appreciation and gift certificate to Brandywine student Samantha Griffing during the Student of the Month recognition at Kutztown Rotary’s Farmers’ Night Celebration on Feb. 15.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMY SHELLER, KUTZTOWN ROTARY CLUB Kutztown Rotarian Doug Wunder presented a certificate of appreciation and gift certificate to Kutztown FFA student Katelyn Heckman during the Student of the Month recognition at Kutztown Rotary’s Farmers’ Night Celebration on Feb. 15.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KUTZTOWN ROTARY CLUB Kutztown Rotary Club honored Katelyn Heckman as a Feb. Student of the Month.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KUTZTOWN ROTARY CLUB Kutztown Rotary Club honored Samantha Griffing Katelyn as a Feb. Student of the Month.