Prairie STEM is honored to announce 8 recipients of The President's Volunteer Service Award for 2020-2021. Four students attend Brownell Talbot High School in Omaha, NE, and four students attend Greendale High School in Greendale, Wisconsin. Congratulations to Riley Hawkins, Akshay Mehta, Jack Cenovic, Claire Cenovic, students of Brownell Talbot High School in Omaha, and Megan Volkening, Genevieve Skibicki, Ava Scheuer, and Ari Scheuer of Greendale High School in Greendale.
Prairie STEM is a President’s Volunteer Service Award Certifying Organization
A Certifying Organization is an organization that has been granted authority through an application and review process to give out the PVSA to volunteers. Certifying Organizations verify and certify that a volunteer has met the requirements to receive a PVSA within a 12 month period specified by the Certifying Organization. Only Certifying Organizations can certify volunteers’ eligibility for the PVSA and order awards.
Jack Cenovic
Co-founder and President
Jack is a senior at Brownell Talbot School. He is passionate about making STEM topics accessible to students and inspiring future scientists. Through JuSTEMagine, Jack teaches students, designs curriculum, assembles STEM kits, oversees JuSTEMagine’s projects, and mentors other chapters. He hopes to spread JuSTEMagine’s vision and help others become involved in their community. Outside of JuSTEMagine, Jack enjoys writing logbooks for his robotics team and articles for his school newspaper, as well as interning at UNMC.
Riley Hawkins
Vice President
Riley is a senior at Brownell Talbot School. She has spearheaded efforts to inspire girls to see their potential in STEM through the upcoming Girls in STEAM program. She also has done work with STEM curriculum design, STEM kit assembly, program and volunteer outreach, as well as her general administrative duties. She is also currently collaborating with SPARKPositivity on social and emotional learning videos for elementary school students. When not working on JuSTEMagine, Riley enjoys writing, painting, and playing the piano.
Claire Cenovic
Secretary & Director of Outreach
Claire is a junior at Brownell-Talbot School. She is passionate about working with children and providing resources and educational opportunities to students in need. Claire leads the JuSTEMagine Kit Assembly Subcommittee, which assembles kits with educational activities for students regionally. Outside of JuSTEMagine, Claire competes on her school’s volleyball and speech teams, as well as writes for her school’s Yearbook and Newspaper.
Akshay Mehta
Treasurer
Akshay is a senior at Brownell Talbot School and joined JuSTEMagine in early 2020. He loves robotics and programming and wants to spread his passion through JuSTEMagine. Currently Akshay works on SEL Positivity Tik Toks and managing the funds of JuSTEMagine, as well as other administrative duties. He hopes to influence and inspire students to pursue STEM education. He believes in the necessity for supplemental education in the STEM field. Akshay also loves to perform speeches, compete with his science bowl team, and play the bass.
Ava Scheuer
Head of Outreach for the Greendale Chapter
Ava is a freshman at Greendale High School. She is head of outreach on her team and has helped coordinate events like STEAMfest, STEM club, and a partnership with a local STEAM workshop along with volunteering with a FIRST Lego League team and Greendale STEM Homework Helpers weekly. When she is not working with robotics she enjoys doing painting, doodling, and roller derby.
