From left: Lia Hartman, winner of The Daughters of the American Revolution Award, and David Elias, winner of the American Legion Award. 
Eighth grade student council president Lillian Maros poses with her poster that highlighted some past memories of her school years up until now.
From left: Eighth grader David Elias, who won the American Legion Award, with George Schaffer who had presented him with the award earlier at the ceremony. 
The Western Wayne 8th grade class, the class of 2025, prepare to take their seats after processing into the annual Moving-Up Ceremony.
“You have conquered so much this year,” Lillian Maros, Western Wayne’s 8th grade student council president, told all in attendance at the annual 8th Grade Moving-Up Ceremony.
In her speech, Lillian addressed the many challenges that students, teachers, and their families faced in school both last year and this year due to COVID-19. She expressed her gratitude for all she and the other students were able to do this year both academically and in extracurricular activities.
Of course the culminating activity of 8th grade year has always been the annual Moving-Up Ceremony which serves as a final milestone for our middle school students. The event looked a bit different this year being held at the football stadium instead of the middle school gym, but it was just as meaningful, if not more, to all of those in attendance.
All 8th grade students received awards in various categories for excellence or improvement in all academic and unified arts classes. In addition, students received awards for good citizenship, excellent work habits, and for a variety of high academic achievements such as making the honor roll for 11 quarters in middle school from 6th through 8th grade. After all of the students received their initial awards, the class of 2025 stood up, and the entire stadium filled with their family and friends gave them a standing ovation.
It is also a Western Wayne Middle School tradition for many years that two outstanding students, one male and one female, are recognized for their patriotism and leadership among other qualities. The local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the local American Legion present these awards.
The Daughters of the American Revolution Award was presented to 8th grader Lia Hartman.
Lia received the good citizenship medal from the Daughters of the American Revolution for being an outstanding student in the 8th grade class who exhibits the qualities of honor and honesty, service, courage, leadership, and patriotism.
George Schaffer presented the American Legion Award to 8th grader David Elias.
David received this annual award for being an outstanding student in the 8th grade class who exhibits the qualities of honor, scholarship, Americanism, leadership, and courage.
Both Lia and David felt extremely honored to receive their respective awards. They also both, at first, felt shocked to learn the Daughters of the American Revolution and the American Legion had chosen them for these high honors.
David is a hard-working young man who believes that a strong work ethic is the key to success. He is most looking forward to his introduction to business class in his freshman year.
“I was really intrigued by the course description,” David said. “I look forward to taking it on as a challenge of something new next year.”
Lia agrees that the new variety of classes she will take in high school is what she looks forward to the most.
“I’m so excited for new experiences,” Lia explained. “I can’t wait to start working with the Western Wayne High School Marching Band this summer where I will play the flute.”
As a new tradition this year, students and their families made poster boards of pictures of favorite memories of their students. In the past a slideshow had been done, but since the ceremony was held outside it seemed fitting to add the personal touch of posters hung on the fences that line the stadium.
Western Wayne faculty, administration, and staff wish the class of 2025 the best on their new journey to the high school.
