VERO BEACH — The Exchange Club of Indian River named Madison Ware, senior at Indian River Charter High School, its first Student of the Quarter this year.
Mark Ashdown, chair of the Club’s committee, presented the award to her at a recent luncheon meeting at Culinary Capers, Vero Beach. Her mother and Liz Santiago, Charter High School Head of Guidance, accompanied her to the presentation.
Madison has been dual-enrolled at the charter school and Indian River State College since her sophomore year; she is on the Dean’s List at IRSC and the “A” and “A/B” Honor Rolls throughout high school. She will graduate this spring with a high school diploma and an associate’s degree from IRSC.
At the Charter High School, she serves as Treasurer of Key Club, Vice President of the Spanish Competition Team, and member of National Honor Society and the school’s dance team.
She has contributed about 450 volunteer community service hours at Habitat for Humanity, Youth in Action, Special Olympics, March of Dimes, Relay for Life, Healthy Start Coalition Marathon, Beach Clean-ups, Growing Healthy Kids, and Rio Coco Beans.
As an active member of her church youth group for the past five years, she has gone on three mission trips to Nicaragua, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic. There she helped remodel homes and worked with children.
She plans to major in biology and premedical science at Florida State University, the University of South Florida, or Florida Atlantic University/Harriet-Wilkes Honors College next year. Her life goal is to become a surgeon and medical missionary and live in third-world countries, build clinics, and serve the native people.
Exchange Club of Indian River honors students at the Charter High School and Vero Beach High School Performance-Based Program each year. Exchangites also provide the community with programs in youth activities, service, and Americanism.
Through participation in its national project, the Prevention of Child Abuse, the Exchange Club of Indian River’s Foundation supports a number of local youth-related projects and charities. Club members meet for lunch at Culinary Capers each Wednesday at noon to enjoy programs on a wide range of civic, charitable, professional, personal, and business topics.
One of the Foundation’s major annual fundraisers is the 36th Annual Exchange Club Blue Water Open “Dolphin Mania” Charity Fishing Tournament to be held next May. All proceeds benefit local child abuse prevention projects.
The club is also partnering with Childcare Resources of Indian River County in the Fourth Annual Touch a Truck Family Festival to be held Saturday, March 31, at the Indian River County Fairgrounds.
Further information about the Club is available from 2011-2012 Exchange Club president R.J. MacMillan at (772) 713-3882 and at the club’s websites, www.ExchangeClubofIndianRiver.org and www.BlueWaterOpen.org.
Persons interested in learning more about Exchange Club membership, working for the prevention of child abuse, or donating to the Foundation’s Child Abuse Prevention Fund may seek further information from any member of the club.
