Swanville School Jr. High April Student of the Month

Swanville Junior High School is proud to announce Ellie Koetter as the April Student of the Month. Ellie is an eighth grade student. She is the daughter of Jerome and Mary Koetter. Ellie has a wide variety of hobbies, ranging from playing sports of any kind, hanging out with family and friends to babysitting.
Her school day is very busy also. She has been in basketball since sixth grade. She began participating in volleyball and softball in seventh grade. Ellie has been in two plays and also recently joined the speech team. She also is a member of the Glee Club. Ellie’s future academic plans are to go to college and go into medicine or nursing. Outside of school Ellie helps serve at her church and helps take care of elderly family members. Ellie received the top reader award in sixth grade and also top band performer as a sixth grade student.
Ellie has had to overcome some major obstacles to get to where she is today. She was born with a birth defect, which involved her feet being turned in. Doctors did not believe Ellie would ever walk. Her parents kept doctoring though. Ellie overcame these obstacles and has not looked back since. Her advice for others is to “Do what you can when you have the chance, you may not get the opportunity again. Don’t procrastinate.”
Marvin Poegel, High School Phy Ed teachers states, “When I first had Ellie in class I was really impressed with how poised and confident she was, yet, humble beyond her years. Ellie stood out to me because she wasn’t afraid to mix it up with the boys in the physical education setting. Actually, I think some of the boys were a little intimidated by her athletic prowess. She is still the same person. It seems like if Ellie decides to do something that not much will get in her way. She is on a mission with all that is expected of her and she is up for the tasks! Ellie is kind to everyone and she is caring enough that she will lead other young people in the right directions. She is a gifted student but she is willing to work hard to make herself better. She stands out in her class because of these traits, which is a difficult task as there is a bunch of really good students in this class. Ellie also has great manners and I can depend on her to make the right choices. She will separate herself from the crowd if she thinks something is wrong. I really love how committed she is to being a good person. As she continues to grow into a fine young lady, her attributes of kindness, patience, determination, beliefs and work ethic will get her where she wants to go. Congratulations to Ellie for this nice honor and keep up the great work. “I have worked with Ellie in the classroom for the past two years,” add Mrs. Liza Hasse, High School Math teacher. “Ellie is a kind student who is willing to help others in and outside the classroom. She works hard to complete each and every assignment in a timely manner, seeking my help only when necessary. When mistakes are made, Ellie will take the time to learn from the mistakes rather than just move on. She has developed a desire to learn and tries to apply what she already learned to new situations. I have enjoyed watching Ellie mature over the last two years into a hardworking and enjoyable student to have in class. I look forward to working with her in the future as she goes through her high school years.”