On Sunday, May 5, with the sun shining bright and the weather just beautiful, many gathered at the Toledo Reinig Center for the annual AAUW Young Women of the Year event. The local Tama-Toledo branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) held a nice ceremony celebrating twenty-four South Tama and Meskwaki Settlement. Eight girls from 6th, 7th, and 8th grades were selected to be honored for demonstrating academic excellence. The twenty-four students were selected by their teachers for such an honor.

The annual event hosts approximately a hundred family members of the honorees, as well as their teachers. Those in attendance ate lunch at the buffet before the awards ceremony kicked off, and the AAUW members presented the students with their certificates.

This year’s honorees for 6th grade are: Yuliana Garcia Math/STC, Bralynn Rohrs Social Studies/STC, Claire Bacon Science/STC, Katelynne Brant Literacy/STC, Kailyn Wolf Math/MSS, Ava Roberts Social Studies/MSS, Tariah Grant Science/MSS, and Jaslynn Hill Literacy/MSS.

This year’s honorees for 7th grade are: Breanna Meek Math/STC, Grace Wadey Social Studies/STC, Adilene Ochoa Science/STC, Jimena Alvarez-Taylor Literacy/STC, Willow Tewawina Math/MSS, Ciera Youngbear Social Studies/MSS, Zaidyn Seymoure Science/MSS, and Bree Scabbyrobe Literacy/MSS.

This year’s honorees for 8th grade are: Alyssa Popelka Math/STC, Cora Krizer Social Studies/STC, Maria Lux-Zetino Science/STC, Abriella Bullshoe Literacy/STC, Aurora Bear Math/MSS, Vawn Lasley Social Studies/MSS, Kaelonna Kaier Science/MSS, and Dayeci Davenport Literacy/MSS.