News-Star/Patriot Auto Group car finalists: December Students of the Month
[EDITOR'S NOTE: As part of a series, two student honorees for each month of the school year are being named as nominees for the 2022 Best of Tri-County Area Preps Student of the Year award, which will be announced in June. These are the December honorees who are finalists for a chance to win a new vehicle from Patriot Auto Group.]
Student of the Year finalists Delaney Haley and Mary Beth Frerichs have been named the Shawnee News-Star and Patriot Auto Group Students of the Month for December. Haley is a senior at Chandler High School and Frerichs is a senior at Meeker High School. They are now in the running to compete for the distinction of Student of the Year, who will be the recipient of a new car.
Delaney Haley
Senior Delaney Haley is a leader at Chandler High School and maintains a perfect GPA.
Chandler High School counselor Christon Cummings said Haley is a wonderful student who is involved in many activities.
“She is taking college courses while maintaining a busy schedule here at her high school,” Cummings said. “All of the staff respects Delaney. She is a huge help in our office, as she serves as one of our aides during her free time.”
Haley currently serves as president of two clubs — National Honor Society and the Lincoln County Dairy Club. Some activities in those organizations involved recruiting and volunteering in a recycling event, as well as collecting donations for the Ronald McDonald House charity.
Organizations Haley is or has been involved with include 4-H, basketball, FFA, Student Council, FUMC Youth, BancFirst Student Board, and others.
Achievements include National Honor Society, Academic Excellence Award, Oklahoma Honor Society, Superintendent's Honor Roll, Oklahoma Girls State Delegate, Lincoln County 4-H Hall of Fame Finalist, as well as many other awards and honors.
Ranked first in her class, the valedictorian said she plans to pursue a career in pediatric nursing.
Haley's parents are Ryan and Shelley Haley.
Mary Beth Frerichs
Senior Mary Beth Frerichs is a leader at Meeker High school and maintains a 3.89 GPA.
Meeker High School Counselor John Bolander said her energy and smile are contagious. Anyone who is around her can’t help but smile and work harder, he said.
“Mary Beth’s involvement with youth is a true reflection of her moral integrity,” he said. “She is a tutor and mentor her at Meeker High School, as well as at Gordon Cooper Technology Center.”
He said she is one of those young ladies who changes people’s lives.
Class valedictorian, Frerichs has logged 935 hours of volunteerism in her community from volunteering to help youth prepare for school, Girl Scouts, American Red Cross, and other organizations.
“She has worked the Back to Basics Program since 2014 as a volunteer, attaining a Jr. Coordinator title — and at the same time was in the Girls Scouts ultimately serving as an ambassador,” Bolander said. “From 2018, she has worked a volunteer/Jr. Guard where she qualified as an Aquatics/CPR/First Aid.”
She most recently volunteered at the Shawnee IFYR in 2021, he said.
“Mary Beth is an exceptional young lady who leaves a positive mark on whoever she associates with and whatever she does,” Bolander said.
Parents are Darrell and Sue Ellen Frerichs.
Best of Tri-County Area Preps
For the fifth year, Patriot Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Chandler is going to provide a brand new vehicle for the Patriot Student of the Year to a student from one of the many participating high schools in the area.
The Patriot Auto Group is teaming up with The Shawnee News-Star to recognize the area’s best student.
During the school year, two students of the month will be selected by an impartial panel of judges based off nominations from administrators at the school. Those 16 students will be finalists to win the Patriot Student of the Year award and one will drive home in a new car after the annual Best of Tri-County Area Preps banquet. The remaining 15 students willwin scholarships.
Each month administrators at area high schools submit nominations for seniors who have an excellent grade point average, display community leadership qualities, are active volunteers and display high moral integrity.
The Students of the Month are selected by a handful of judges from the community.
Check out a future edition for January Students of the Month.
For story ideas, questions or concerns, reporter Vicky O. Misa can be reached at vicky.misa@news-star.com.
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This article originally appeared on The Shawnee News-Star: News-Star/Patriot Auto Group car finalists: December Students of the Month
