The February STAR Awards were presented to students Natalie Gauerke and Karina Welch and to Elementary Counselor Cathy Rocco.
The awards were presented at the Feb. 10 meeting of the Iola-Scandinavia School Board by District Administrator David Dyb.
“If a student needs something, Cathy Rocco finds a way to get it for them,” Dyb said.
Rocco was nominated for the award by a parent and a staff member.
According to Dyb, Rocco recently was instrumental in bringing the Backpack Program to the I-S School District.
“It has been a tremendously positive program,” he said.
“It turned out to be a bigger program than I expected,” Rocco said.
She had expected to have about 10 or 15 backpacks going home with students every weekend, but there are currently 55 students utilizing the program.
Rocco noted that the backpacks only go to those who really need the help.
Gauerke and Welch, both seniors at ISHS, were nominated by High School Principal Sara Anderson. They received the award for being instrumental in developing and implementing service projects as leaders in the National Honor Society.
“The community service project last October and an upcoming penny war to benefit 4 Paws for Ability are two examples of their commitment to honoring the tenets of the National Honor Society: Scholarship, leadership, service and character,” Anderson said.