Students Win $2,250 in Rotary Essay Contest
St. Lawrence County students apply Rotary’s Four-Way Test to issues that matter to them
From left: honorable mention recipient Allison Bell, first-place recipient Joie-Lynn Jabaut and Potsdam Rotary President Sunday Smith. Not present for the photograph were second-place recipient Zadok Roiger and third-place recipient Rory Lawrence.
Four St. Lawrence County high school seniors have been recognized for applying Rotary’s Four-Way Test to issues that matter to them and their communities.
The Rotary Clubs of Canton, Massena and Potsdam recently announced the winners of the second annual St. Lawrence County Rotary Clubs Four-Way Test Essay Contest.
The contest encourages young people to develop their self-expression and critical-thinking skills while exploring how Rotary’s ethical principles can be applied to subjects of their own choosing.
Joie-Lynn Jabaut of Massena High School received the $1,000 first-place award for her essay on radiology. Midwife Sunday Wellness and Birth Center in Potsdam sponsored the award through a $1,000 donation.
Zadok Roiger of Canton High School received the $500 second-place award for his essay, “Volunteering.”
Rory Lawrence of Massena High School received the $500 third-place award for the essay, “Social Media Is a Negative Platform That Harms and Divides Teenagers Because of the Way That It Is Used.”
Allison Bell of Lisbon High School received the $250 honorable mention for her essay, “Family and Community.”
The Rotary Clubs of Massena and Potsdam each contributed $500 to fund the second- and third-place awards. The Rotary Club of Canton contributed $250 for the honorable mention.
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
The Four-Way Test was conceived in 1932, during the Great Depression, by Chicago businessman Herbert J. Taylor. Faced with the challenge of saving a major company from bankruptcy, Taylor sought a simple ethical guide that employees could apply to every aspect of the business.
Company personnel were asked to learn the test and use it in their daily work. Over time, it helped create greater trust and goodwill among employees, customers and dealers, and was credited with contributing to the company’s recovery.
Eleven years later, Rotary adopted the Four-Way Test as one of its guiding principles.
Today, the Four-Way Test remains a nonpartisan and nonsectarian ethical guide for Rotarians in their personal and professional relationships. It has been translated into more than 100 languages and has inspired safe-driving programs, crime and drug-reduction initiatives, school essay contests and many other community activities.
Through this annual contest, the Rotary Clubs of Canton, Massena and Potsdam are helping a new generation consider how truth, fairness, goodwill and mutual benefit can shape the choices we make.
Discover more about Rotary clubs serving communities across St. Lawrence County in North Central New York.