ALTON - Grace Backstrom of Alton High School and Emma Mattix-Wand of Marquette Catholic High School were honored as Students of the Month by the Alton/Godfrey Rotary Club at the Club’s regular meeting on February 13th at Gentelin’s Restaurant.
Students selected for this honor are recognized and presented with an award at a Rotary Club meeting and are eligible to compete for a $6000 Scholarship that will be presented to one of the students honored as “Student of the Month” during the school year. This is the 20th year of the program and 355 students have been recipients of this honor since the program was initiated.
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Grace Backstrom is the daughter of Greg and Rita Backstrom of Alton. An Illinois State Scholar, Backstrom earned a Commended Student recognition from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation and has consistently earned a place on the High Honor Roll at Alton High. She is a member of the National Honor Society.
She has been a member of the Marching 100, the Math team, and the Robotics Club and serves as the Secretary to the Robotics Club. She is also a member of a number of other student groups including Mu Alpha Theta and the Physics Club. She has been actively involved in service projects sponsored by the school organizations of which she is a member.
Backstrom will be attending Temple University where she has been awarded a Presidential Scholarship. Temple University has been designated as a Center for Actuarial Excellence and Backstrom plans to major in Actuarial Science.
Emma Mattix-Wand is the daughter of Gerry and Paula Mattix-Wand of Bethalto. Emma is an Illinois State Scholar and has consistently earned a place on the School’s High Honor Roll. She has earned recognition at the Gold and Bronze levels in Marquette’s Volunteer Service Award program. She received the St. Mother Teresa Outstanding Service Award for 2016 in that program
Mattix –Wand is a member of the National Honor Society and the local Thespian Society earning an Award of Honor as a member of that group. She is President of the Drama Club and is a member of the Art and Spanish clubs.
She has been very active in the Campus Ministry and has earned awards for her music performances from the Tri- M Music Society.
Emma plans to attend Loyola or Southern Illinois University Carbondale and major in Theatre or Art History.
Gary Ayres, President of the Alton/Godfrey Rotary Club, presented each of the students with a plaque recognizing their selection to this honor.
