AKRON -ÊFor the third consecutive year, the Akron Pride Council has been honored by a state education group.

The Indiana Association of School Principals, Department of Student Activities, in conjunction with the Indiana Association of Student Councils, named Akron an IASC Honor Council.

Today the Akron Pride Council joined other elementary honor councils from around the state for a celebration of outstanding leadership in Indiana at the IASC Elementary Honor Council Ceremony. The ceremony was at 10 a.m. at the Warren Performing Arts Center on the campus of Warren Central High School in eastern Indianapolis.

"Every year we go to Indianapolis if we make the honor council," said third-grader Deon Shafer, who has served on the council for three years. "Then they take our picture. We stand on a stage and get recognized."

Honor council recognition is bestowed on student councils that demonstrate a commitment to all students in their school through hard work and leadership. To qualify, the council sends a scrapbook of all the activities, meeting minutes, two letters of recommendation, their constitution, code of ethics and a financial statement to the association to be evaluated for honor council status.

Akron Elementary Pride Council has 34 council members. A boy and girl are elected from each classroom in grades one through five to represent the council, said Pride Council President Megan Ramsey. They meet every other Tuesday at 7:45 a.m. The council has a code of ethics they strive to uphold.

According to information provided by Pride Council adviser Julia Teel, the council involved the community in collecting for Riley's Children's Hospital by placing collection buckets at businesses in Akron. The council also has purchased its third bench for the park this year.

Fifth-grader Jerrod Parker said this year, "We sold grab bags. It's got lots of candy in it. We did a lot of things for Riley's Children's Hospital. We made carnations."

More than 500 carnations on Valentine's Day were sold, more than 800 note pads were sold at Christmas time and many grab bags were sold at Halloween. More than $1,000 for Riley Children's Hospital was raised.

As a celebration for reaching the goal for Riley, it is "rumored" that Elvis Presley will perform a medley in a "Concert in the Gym" May 19 for the school.

"We're going to have spirit week next week," said fifth-grader Jared Brady. The council will provide a pizza party to the classroom with the best percentage of representation.

To be on the council, Shafer said, "They should be really nice and be kind to people and not mean." He said he's been involved for the past three years because "I just like being on the pride council."

Ramsey said on the council, "You learn to help other people. You learn to make stuff. Fifth-graders also get to be president and stuff. You learn to write speeches." She has been on the council since it began four years ago.

As for Parker, raising money for Riley Children's Hospital makes him feel "good because they show tapes of everyone in the hospital and it feels good because it helps them."

In addition to the many fund-raisers and events, the council helps to send any student in the fourth grade to Student Leadership Camp by providing half the cost of the camp. The camp is at Ball State University, Muncie, and helps interested leaders in the elementary schools to become better leaders. [[In-content Ad]]