The biannual “You Make a Difference” breakfast for students, who were nominated by faculty, was held on Wednesday, Jan. 31 in Student Activites.

The “You Make a Difference” breakfast, a tradition that has been going on for more than ten years at West, is held in order for faculty members to honor students who have made a positive impact within their community.

“The purpose [of the breakfast] is for the faculty and staff to nominate students who they have seen great improvement in,” coordinator Judy Wheatman said. “Whether it’s athletics, the school community, or the outside community, they made some type of difference; they’ve made a personal impact on a faculty member.”

Junior Jackie Wang, who was nominated by her club sponsor, believes the breakfast is a great way of highlighting students’ positive contributions.

“I was nominated by my H20 sponsor for being a diligent worker; I do my part with writing messages and getting things ready for the club,” Wang said. “I feel pretty great; I feel really honored. It was a great way to reward students because you show that you encourage their hard work, or you encourage them with the work that they didn’t know they were doing. And then you give them food, and that’s really an incentive for kids to work harder.”

Senior Simone Perrin, who was nominated by W.H.O. sponsor Drew Johnson and English teacher Dena Lichterman, wishes that teachers nominated more worthy students.

“I think it is an adequate way to reward students, but I know so many people who are deserving of this, but not too many teachers nominate kids,” Perrin said. “It’s very nice that the school gives teachers and students the opportunity to show how much we appreciate each other.”

Ultimately, Wheatman believes that the breakfast is an exciting experience for students.

“I think the students enjoy it, and, on the reverse side, when we do the students nominating faculty and staff, it gives the students a chance to do the same,” Wheatman said.

Along with Wang and Perrin, the remaining students who were honored are the following:

Hayden Ferrigno, Alexia Popescu, Zainab Siddiqui, Jonathan Vinesar, Sharbel Yako, Shebin Chacko, Simon Shamoon, Dylan Dinkha, Arusha Simms, Marina Palladinetti, Michael McKay, Tristan Lovestrand, Mareena Gurguis, Kelsey Wilkinson, Nicole Koziol, Katherina Paulos, Ethan Kalchik, Erica Eversmann, Mady Hester, Anna Harbeck, Ashley Dyer, Amy Ieremciuc, Petra Barbus, Cristina Ardelean, Julian Anton, and Battung Anthony Ty. 

The student-nominated breakfast paves way for the second “You Make a Difference” breakfast where students can honor deserving teachers that will take place on Fri., Feb. 16.