The Portage Exchange Club welcomed some Outstanding PHS seniors at their Sept. 9 meeting. The category for September is Fall Athletes.
PHS Associate Administrator Max Gill introduced Elijah Fleming (boys soccer) and Matthew Elish (football). The two other students selected by the administration for this honor, Allison Clarke (girls soccer) and Kyra Ball (girls cross country), were unable to attend the meeting. During his opening remarks, Gill explained that the demands on student athletes now far exceeds the demands of earlier generations.
Despite the time and commitment involved with their sports, the two young men also achieve scholastic excellence and serve their school and community. Fleming, who plays center and forward in soccer, has a 3.5 GPA and has participated in several mission trips to Central America sponsored by his church. He participates in tournament paint balling. Elish, a linebacker and long kicker, is fifth in the senior class with a 4.61 GPA. He is vice president of the senior class and is active in the Earth Awareness Club and Recycling Club. Fleming plans to study business management, while Elish plans to be an aerospace engineer.
The Portage Exchange Club honors outstanding seniors on the second Wednesday of every month during the school year. Students and their parents are invited to come to the meeting, enjoy a breakfast with the members and then the students give the members a brief bio of themselves. All Students of the Month receive a certificate and are eligible to participate in the Exchange Club Student of the Year and possibly receive scholarship money.
The Portage Exchange Club meets Wednesday mornings at 7 a.m. on the first, second and third weeks and the fourth Thursday of each month at noon. All meetings are held at Miller's Senior Living Meeting Room. For more information, please call President Kathy Cox at 219-942-6817, come to a meeting or check out the website http://www.portage-exchange.com