Loomis Chaffee Student Honored for Service

A handful of Loomis Chaffee students were recently rewarded for their achievements in the classroom and in the community. Three students were named WALKS scholars, and a student from Farmington was named a Barnes Service Award recipient.

Jay Spector of Farmington, is the Barnes Service Recipient. A senior at Loomis Chaffee, he is an active member of the Pelican Service Organization where has been a steady presence and diligent tutor to many under-achieving students in the Hartford area. Although Jay excels at tutoring and mentoring, his true passion lies in his work with the Special Olympics.

For the past four years, Jay has volunteered as a coach and sailing instructor with Special Olympians in the greater New Haven area. Jay spends several months a year in this endeavor sharing his time, his talent and his generosity of spirit and has helped many special athletes achieve what may not have seemed possible.

According to Loomis, the WALKS Program, which was started in 1956, supports "the enrichment of students, whose talents, commitment, and energies promise community leadership in the coming years."

WALKS, an acronym for the program's participating schools (Westminster, Avon Old Farms, Loomis Chaffee, Kingswood Oxford and Suffield Academy), is funded by contributions made by Greater Hartford businesses and civic leaders.

Windsor's Rehka Kennedy was among the WALKS scholars named. An active member of the student council, the Phage Hunters Club, and website editor for the school newspaper, The Log, Kennedy is also a high honors student. She plays softball for the Pelicans and is pursuing a career in science.

Kelsey Adamson of Tolland and Kassidi Jones of West Hartford were also named WALKS scholars.

Adamson, a senior, is an honor-roll student and a three-sport athlete in soccer, basketball and track. She also volunteers at the Tolland Historical Society and Tolland Soccer Club.

Jones is a high-honors sophomore who is a member of Loomis' Concert Choir and also received a presidential award for academic achievement, according to the school. Also a three-sport athlete, Jones is a poet, dancer and painter with hopes of writing professionally.

The students will be honored at a special WALKS luncheon later in the fall.