At the end of each semester, Wyoming High School honors six exemplary students with the Alpha Wolf 11 Champion of CharacterAward. Two sophomores, two juniors and two seniors are chosen by staff and peers. The ceremony takes place in front of the entire student body, special guests from the Wyoming community, Wyoming Public Safety officers, school administration and the Wyoming Board of Education members.
Such was the case on Thursday, Jan. 26. The gymnasium’s stands were filled with students at rapt attention. Wyoming police and fire departments came to show their support and to be honored. Parents and school administrators cheered on and the high school band punctuated the ceremony.
The Alpha Wolf is a rare and special breed — a power unto him or herself. They’re at their strongest when they empower their peers. Proactive in helping others and ever striving to set a high standard for those around them, they lead by example, going the extra mile to help a schoolmate feel welcome, spreading good cheer to all and displaying good character. One need not be an “A” student to attain this goal.
On a scale of 1 to 10, the Alpha Wolf is an 11 in everything they do. Kind, compassionate, gracious, these are 2017’s champions of character and new pillars of our community:
About Wyoming High School sophomore Bryan Rosello Lizardo: “His peers describe him as someone who helps other students when the teachers are busy… dedicated, kind and a helper… He gives the greatest gift one can give. The gift of time.”
About sophomore Gabriel Pulaski: “Genuinely empathetic, this person is always a listening ear, and not just for his friends, but for anyone who might need someone just to be there.”
About junior Ryan Huizinga: “He approaches life putting others before himself, which has not gone unnoticed by his classmates.”
About junior Lexi Pearson: “One teacher said it is hard to put into words how much she has contributed to Wyoming Public Schools. Her volunteer hours have to be in the thousands.”
About senior Brendan Berg: “He exerts a quiet authority in his leadership, yet at the same time, shows great humility and respect for others.”
About senior Cindy Ochoa: “Attention must be paid to this 12th-grade recipient who exemplifies the actions of kindness by offering advice. She serves as a reminder that positivity and compassion are traits of a leader.”
Junior Ryan Huizinga celebrates with his family
An Alpha Wolf 11 has nothing to do with grades, sports or test scores, but everything to do with being kind, compassionate and gracious to each other, said Principal Nate Robrahn. These descriptions explain why six Wyoming High School students are Alpha Wolf 11 Champions of Character. Awarded at the inaugural ceremony for the new program, students wept as they were named supreme pack leaders of the Wyoming Wolves in front of an audience of staff, administrators, Board of Education members and City of Wyoming officials. U.S. History teacher John Doyle read lengthy narratives about each student before revealing them as winners.
“On a scale of 1 to 10, they’re an 11,” he told students. “It has everything to do with what you do here at Wyoming High School. This has to do with what people you are on the inside, and making us a better community inside the walls and outside this place as you spread what this is. You all here, all 1,000 of you in this gym right now, are great young people and you have the chance to make a difference.”
Putting Character First
Doyle approached Wyoming staff with the idea for Alpha Wolf 11 after his son, Ian, received a similar award through Grandville High School’s “Ryan Fischer Be an 11” program. The Grandville program is named after student and hockey player Ryan Fischer, who died of a heart condition 2014.
Doyle was so moved he wanted to bring a similar program to Wyoming. “I was just like, ‘We’ve got to do this. It is so impactful. We are going to pull this off bigger and better. We wanted to give it back to the kids and community.”
Sophomore Gabriel Pulaski reacts to being an Alpha Wolf 11
Doyle said he wants students to realize character is the most important thing in life. “We’ve got all these awards for athletics, scholarships, band, this and that. How about just the regular kids. How about kids getting an award for simply being good?”
Doyle told students that he sees great things happening. “This school, when facing adversity, just continues to impress me. I love it here. A lot of people love it here. Continue to be kind, compassionate and gracious… It will all work out.”
His voice boomed. “That’s why this school rocks. That’s why this school is a good school!”
Robrahn, who began as principal in 2013, said he’s constantly impressed with his students. In nominating each other, students wrote incredibly powerful things.
The first six Alpha Wolf 11s are honored on the gymnasium wall
“These are the nicest kids, the kindest kids I’ve had in my career,” he said. “That’s the piece we want for kids. All the academic content is important, but if we can help kids take care of each other, it’s a better world we live in.”
Six students, two from each grade at the 10th through 12th-grade building, will be named Alpha Wolf 11s each semester.
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An Alpha Wolf is someone who stands out from the pack in everything they do. Not only is the Alpha Wolf a power by themselves, but they’re at their strongest when they can impact others. An Alpha Wolf is always proactive in helping others and strives to set the standard for those around them. On a scale of 1 to 10, the Alpha Wolf is an 11 in everything they do.
This Thursday – January 28 – for the first time, Wyoming High School will be honoring six students in an assembly as ‘Alpha Wolf 11 Champions of Character’ for their exemplary character inside the school walls. Every student is eligible for the award.
The award recognizes students for character and treating others with kindness and compassion at Wyoming High School. Being an Alpha Wolf 11 has nothing to do with what a student does in extracurriculars after school, but instead focuses on what they do during school hours, as people, to make the school a better place.
Wyoming High School faculty, support staff and administration all have a say in selecting six students, two from the sophomore, junior, and senior classes, to honor with the award. During the ceremony, the six winners will be introduced with a personal description of why they were selected. A banner will then be revealed in the gymnasium recognizing the Alpha Wolf 11 Champion of Character winners.
The Alpha Wolf 11 Champion of Character award will be presented in front of the entire student body, special guests from the Wyoming community, school administration, and the Wyoming Board of Education Members in a ceremony at the end of each school semester. A special guest speaker will be there to commemorate the event.
Not only will the students be given recognition in front of their peers and school administrators, but each student will receive a framed Alpha Wolf 11 Champion of Character certificate, lanyard, and their name placed on two large banners that will be displayed in the gymnasium and near the main office entrance of the building.
It’s a way for students to be celebrated for the little things they do to make a school environment friendly and something fun to be a part of. When the world asks for a 10, step up and give an 11.
WKTV will carry full video coverage of the assembly.
