MIHS class leaders dedicated to community involvement

The Menominee Indian High School Class of 2015 valedictorian and salutatorian epitomize volunteerism and plan to continue serving the community following graduation.

Valedictorian Joan Waukau and salutatorian Leah Schlichting will lead the 53 graduation candidates into the Woodland Bowl in Keshena for the commencement ceremony Friday.

Joey Awanohopay will be the commencement speaker.

Waukau’s community service efforts include reading to children at the tribal day care center and participation in the Pay It Forward project, which encourages youth to volunteer and participate in community service. She also walks dogs for the Shawano County Humane Society and last year completed an internship that included helping in a Madison food pantry and after-school program.

She also would like to coach youth softball.

“She is a team player and her interactions with staff and peers have always been collaborative and positive,” said Robert Smith, the school’s social studies chairperson.

Waukau, who was selected to the National Honor Society, plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she plans to study kinesiology and to continue volunteering at the Goodman Community Center.

Waukau said her most memorable community service projects were working alongside Schlichting and classmate Michael Pecore delivering presents to Keshena Primary School students and decorating ornaments at Maple Lane in Shawano.

Schlichting’s community involvement included participating in the Youth Alliance program, reading to children and raising awareness of health issues, which included producing a drug presentation for the community.

Schlichting will attend Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay and eventually hopes to earn a nursing degree at UW-Oshkosh or UW-Green Bay.

“She is a very personable person and close to her family, and respects elders,” Waukau said. “She has her certified nursing assistant license and really wants to be a nurse.”

Nell Strebel, the school’s literacy coordinate, said Schlichting has grown from a “quiet, shy and timid freshman of four years ago into one of the academic leaders of her senior class.”