Katie Zakrzewski Pre Teen WV senior division title holder
Berkeley Springs resident Katie Zakrzewski competed in the Pre Teen America Academic Scholarship and Recognition Program August 30 - September 1, in Morgantown.
Seventy girls from West Virginia competed in both Senior and Junior Divisions.
Zakrzewski was awarded 2008 Pre Teen West Virginia Senior Division Title Holder.
Pre-Teen was founded in 1990 for the purpose of recognizing young ladies 7-12 years of age with high academic rankings, outstanding personal achievements, school activities and volunteer services participation, leadership abilities, sports accomplishments and creative talents.
In addition to winning the title, she was first runner up in the speech competition and chose the subject What does it take to be a hero. Having been chosen last year to lead the Warm Springs Middle School sixth grade Rachel's Challenge organization, she was inspired to choose Rachel Joy Scott as her hero. Scott was the first person that lost her life during the Columbine School disaster back in 1999. Her acts of kindness and compassion coupled with the contents of her six diaries have become the foundation for one of the most life-changing school programs in America.
What is the Message? Zakrzewski says that students have the power to make permanent positive cultural change in their schools and communities by accepting the challenge of Rachel Scott to start a chain reaction of kindness and compassion.
Zakrzewski will represent Berkeley Springs, and West Virginia as she travels the USA attending Pre Teen programs to spread her message. She has been nominated to attend the 2009 People to People World Leadership Forum in Washington, D.C.
The People to People World Leadership Forum was founded by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and helps prepare the world's most promising young people for opportunities and responsibilities ahead. She has also been nominated to attend the Junior National Young Leaders Conference.
She was sponsored by Union Chapel United Methodist Church, and Berkeley Springs local businesses.
