Sanchez earns Cisco College award

Outstanding Student

Holden Sanchez, Albany High School junior, received the President’s Outstanding StudentAwardin the English Department of Cisco College at an awards banquet Monday at the Cisco campus.

He was presented a certificate and a medallion by college president Dr. Thad Anglin in the banquet room of the Student Union Building. The top student in each department was honored at the ceremony along with family members.

Holden, son of Matthew and Heidi Sanchez of Albany, was nominated for the award by his Dual Credit English teacher, Dr. Linda Spetter. This year he has been studying academic writing in her Composition I and II courses. His parents attended the ceremony.

The award is based on an acronym spelling out H.E.A.R.T.

H = Honesty E = Engagement A = Academics R = Reliability T = Tenacity “Holden Sanchez is one of the most dedicated students I have seen in a long time, truly devoted to learning,” Dr. Spetter wrote in her nomination. “His writing has improved from good to outstanding. He has adopted the spirit of a true research writer, doing research and writing that is on the graduate school level. He writes with great nuance, depth, and maturity.”

Dr. Spetter’s nomination also included the following:

•H = He is totally honest.

•E = He eagerly revises his writing drafts and delights in learning new ways to write better.

•A = He is the top student in the class.

•R = He is not only reliable, but he is also respectful, punctual, and well mannered.

•T = He relishes each new challenge and embraces it and never gives up.

“Holden Sanchez is a teacher’s dream student,” Dr. Spetter concluded. “He eagerly seeks new knowledge, desiring to make his writing and research skills better and better, and in doing so, he is excelling.”

Jennifer Everitt, English teacher at Albany High, is the facilitator for Dr. Spetter’s composition and literature courses at Albany High.

Holden plans to attend Syracuse University after graduation from high school.