The Exchange Club of Shelby honored Miss Jalisa Tate as an A.C.E. Award winner for Shelby High School for the 2009-2010 school year.  The A.C.E. Award recognizes high school seniors that have Accepted the Challenge of Excellence.  A.C.E. Award winners have overcome a personal or physical adversity that could have been used as an excuse to fail, but instead the student has worked hard to succeed.

Tate missed a lot of school during her ninth and tenth grade years and was not very motivated when she did attend.  During the eleventh grade, she realized that receiving a good education was important and she dedicated herself to catching up on her studies.  She set a goal that she would not make any grades lower than a B.  Teachers recognized AND saw evidence of her commitment and were helping her to attain her goal, but then she got sick, had to undergo surgery, and again missed a lot school.  

In August of the next school year she returned to school determined to succeed.  She got pregnant and had a little girl, but was still dedicated to keeping her grades up.  Her responsibilities as a mother made her even more aware of how important her education is to her and her child.  She hopes to continue school and become a cosmetologist.

The Exchange Club presented her with a certificate of recognition and $200.  Attending the meeting with her were her grandmother, Essie Patterson, her daughter, Sa’niya Tate, and guidance counselor, Teresa Heffelfinger.

The A.C.E. Award is a program of the National Exchange Club.  The Exchange Club of Shelby is a civic club serving all of Cleveland County.  Club members volunteer to make our community a better place to live through service programs in Americanism, Community Service, Youth Activities, and the Prevention of Child Abuse.  Exchange meets at 6:30pm on the second and fourth Monday of each month at Jackson’s Cafeteria in Shelby.