MCH Resident Wins CORE Student of the Year Award

Abenezer, a four-year resident on the Methodist Children’s Home (MCH) Waco campus, received the Student of the Year award from the Coalition for Residential Education (CORE) at their National Conference in Oklahoma City on March 7. As part of the award, Abenezer received a $500 scholarship from CORE.

Abenezer’s caseworker, Felicia Moore, and Waco campus administrator, Chuck Russell, nominated him for the award. As a role model for youth in his home unit, Abenezer has no problem volunteering for household tasks and he is a go-getter who stands up for what is right. 

As a senior and an excellent student at Rapoport Academy, Abenezer maintains a 4.10 GPA and he is currently enrolled in four college courses at McLennan Community College, where he is a member of the Dean’s List. He also participated in the Waco Youth Leadership Council. With this organization, Abenezer was chosen to represent Waco on a national level where he traveled to Arizona to speak on topics such as teen poverty, dating, social networking, pregnancy, education, and the future of adolescents and young adults.

In addition to his schoolwork, Abenezer makes community service a priority. Within the Waco community, Abenezer has volunteered with the Waco Humane Society, Caritas, Shepard’s Heart Food Pantry, and Keep Waco Beautiful. In representation of his school, he has been involved in the Community Garden, which served as a resource for families in the surrounding neighborhood. Abenezer is also involved in the Key Club, an organization that partners with other organizations in the area to provide community service.

According to MCH staff who work with Abenezer, he is kind, generous, helpful, conscientious and a humble young man. He goes about his day in a perpetual good mood with a smile on his face and he is a person who others want to be around.

Abenezer said he was honored to receive the award. He shares a few words from his speech below.

“If it wasn’t for Methodist Children’s Home, I would not have been able to develop long-lasting relationships with the people that work there. These people are more than just staff, homeparents, or caseworkers to me. These people are my family and they have helped me grow and develop and become the person I am right now. Therefore, I dedicate this honor to them.”

Congratulations Abenezer for a job well done!  

Left to right: Felicia Moore, caseworker; Johnny Kettler, homeparent; Abenezer; Alta Kettler, homeparent; and Moe Dozier, vice president for residential services.

Abenezer at his home unit on the Waco campus.