The Rotary Club of Greene and Putnam Counties recently recognized its Students of the Month (SOTM) for September, including Jack Wooten from Gatewood School, Shelby Marullo of Lake Oconee Academy, and Putnam County High School’s Bryson Brown. Greene County High School SOTM Levny Castillo was not available and will be recognized later.
Jack Wooten is a senior at Gatewood High School. Jack’s parents are Brian and Amanda Wooten. Jack is an honor roll student, plays football, and runs track. He is the vice president of the Class of 2027. Jack is also a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Farmers & Merchants Bank Junior Board, Anchor Club, and National Honor Society, as well as a student ambassador.
Jack is also the co-founder and co-owner of his own business, Slim Pickins LLC, which he established in 2020. After high school, he plans to attend the University of Georgia to pursue a career in Finance. Tyler VanDusen is Jack’s Gatewood High School Teacher of the Month.
Shelby Marullo is a senior at Lake Oconee Academy and the daughter of Cara Marullo. Shelby has achieved the highest cumulative grade point average in her class each year since 6th grade and is an alumna of the competitive Georgia Governor’s Honors Program in Mathematics.
Beyond her academic achievements at LOA, Shelby enjoys playing volleyball, basketball, and soccer. She is also deeply committed to serving her community. She delivered a TEDx Youth Talk, demonstrating an ability to engage and inspire an audience.
She also serves as president and ambassador of the Lake Country Rural Health Initiative, volunteers with Second Harvest, and has shadowed clinicians at local free public health clinics.
Shelby considers empathy to be among her greatest strengths. After graduating, Shelby plans to major in Psychology at a four-year university while pursuing a pre-med track to build a career in medicine. The person she respects most is her mother, whose strength and unwavering support have profoundly influenced her life. Shelby named Jeremy Donaldson as her Teacher of the Month.
Bryson Brown is the September Student of the Month from Putnam County High School. Bryson is a kind, hardworking, thoughtful, and well-rounded student who consistently represents the very best of PCHS.
In the classroom, Bryson gives his best effort, works well with others, and is always willing to lend a helping hand or offer encouragement to a fellow student. His humility, respect for others, and strong work ethic make him someone teachers and classmates can depend on.
He is also an active member of the PCHS community, demonstrating tremendous school spirit through participating in football and other athletics, as well as numerous school activities and educational travel experiences, including opportunities to travel internationally to Tanzania and Italy.
Whether in the classroom, on the athletic field, or representing his school across the world, Bryson carries himself with maturity, integrity, and class. Bryson does not seek the spotlight; instead, he leads through actions and sets the example for others. He is a young man of strong character, a dedicated student and athlete, and a positive representative of PCHS and his community. Dr. Mike Mortimer is Bryson’s chosen PCHS teacher of the month.
The Rotary Club of Greene and Putnam Counties is proud to honor our Rotary students of the month.
These exceptional students have each demonstrated exemplary leadership, dedication to service, and commitment to their communities, truly embodying the spirit of Rotary.
— Contributed