VOCATIONAL SERVICE ACTIVITIES

Life Leadership Conference

Rotary District 6290 conducts a Rotary Leadership Conference for youth. This four day conference provides a unique opportunity for selected youth to participate first hand in stimulative discussions in the area of trust, integrity, attitudes, and leadership qualities. Attendees are selected on the basis of academics and service activities. For the 2009 LLC, the Rotary Club of Houghton Lake sponsored two student conferees.

2009-10 Goal: Send four students to the Life Leadership Conference.

STRIVE

STRIVE is a program that recognizes and rewards students, academically ranked in the lower one-third of the senior class, who demonstrate their desire for success by achievement in three areas: academics, attendance and attitude. To be eligible, students must be in their senior year at Houghton Lake High School and fill out a commitment form available at the orientation meeting or from the counseling office. Regular meetings are held with STRIVE scholars to provide tutoring, discuss areas where they need assistance, and recognize achievement. Strive scholars can receive cash incentives when completing a semester with passing grades. The top three scholars will also receive scholarships. The third most improved scholar will receive $250 in tuition assistance, the second most improved will receive $500 in assistance, and the most improved will receive a scholarship of $750 for tuition, fees and books. Each will receive additional tuition assistance from Kirtland Community College. for 2009, eighteen students passed STRIVE with three scholarships awarded.

2009-10 Goal: Improve the academic standing of ten underachieving students and award three scholarships with tuition assistance.

Vocational Award

Each year, the Rotary Club of Houghton Lake recognizes a person in our community for Outstanding service to his or her vocation and community. Rotarians submit candidates with a description of why they would make a great example of their vocation. The Rotary board approves a list of candidates. The Rotary membership selects the recipient who will receive a plaque to recognize this prestigious award.

2009-10 Goal: Select and present a local vocational award.

Student Scholarships

The Rotary Club of Houghton Lake annually presents $4,000 in scholarship money to graduating Houghton Lake High School students. Five $750 scholarships are awarded to HLHS Seniors select by the Rotary CLub of Houghton Lake Scholarship Committee One $250 scholarship is awarded to the Miss Houghton Lake Spirit winner.

2009-10 Goal: Increase Scholarship Awards to $5,000 for 2010 HLHS graduates.

Houghton Lake High School Career Day

Every other year, the Rotary Club of Houghton Lake sponsors a Career Day at Houghton Lake High School. Students are surveyed weeks in advance for career interests. Based on the results of the survey, career presenters are contacted to talk to students about their respective career.