Iain Pickett named Kiwanis Club Senior of the Month: Orange Schools news roundup

Community NewsOrange High School senior Iain Pickett, who balances strong academics and leadership with service to her school and community, has been named the Kiwanis Club of Lander Circle Senior of the Month for October.(Photo Courtesy of Orange City Schools)By Ed Wittenberg, special to cleveland.comPEPPER PIKE, Ohio – Orange High School senior Iain Pickett has been named the Kiwanis Club of Lander Circle Senior of the Month for October.Iain’s dedication to making a meaningful difference through service in the school and extended community, while balancing strong academics and leadership, perfectly showcases what the award represents, according to a news release from the Orange City School District. Iain leads by example through the daily act of demonstrating empathy and empowers others by fostering a collaborative environment, the news release stated.A member of the National Honor Society, Iain has been serving as the Joe Davis Student Liaison to Kiwanis for the past five months. The year-long position honors the retired Brady Middle School principal who dedicated his life to service before his death last year. This OHS Key Club president has become a valued part of the Kiwanis Club team through projects like the annual rummage sale, the egg hunt and Trunk or Treat, among others, and has volunteered well over 100 hours in the last year alone. In September, Iain assisted with the Orange Alumni Association Hall of Fame inductions event while also volunteering with Rescue Village.She also assisted with holiday card creations and art projects for children through the Orange Community Artisan and Farmers Market and volunteered with Safety Town. Iain serves as vice president and co-founder of Health Occupations Students of American (HOSA). She is one of four students to lead the international career and technical student organization through an initiative in the healthcare and biomedical fields to prepare the next generation of medical professionals.An active member of the OHS Model UN team, Iain has served as a simulated UN diplomat to resolve global issues and was the recipient of both Honorable Mention and Excellent Delegation awards for the ability to drive consensus while displaying professionalism. This High Honors student also has been designated as an AP Scholar.In addition, the former Dance Studio student teacher was also team captain of the Elite Division Competitive Dance Team, leading the team to multiple awards both regionally and nationally.Iain danced competitively for six years on both select genre teams, including jazz, hip-hop and contemporary and Elite teams for two years. Every school year, the Kiwanis Club of Lander Circle recognizes six Orange High School seniors for their leadership, integrity and academic achievements.Transportation Supervisor Sheila Dikowicz, far left, accepts the plaque for the Orange Schools team, which captured first place in the North Region School Bus Driver Safety Road-e-o Oct. 3. Team members, from left, included Shannon SantaMaria, Laura Svoboda and Debbie Becker.(Photo Courtesy of Orange City Schools)Ruling the Road-e-oThe Orange City School District hosted the 2026 North Region School Bus Driver Safety Road-e-o Oct. 3, and once again, the Orange drivers came out on top. The Orange Schools team that captured first place included Debbie Becker, Teresa Jaszczak, Shannon SantaMaria and Laura Svoboda, who also received the Rookie of the Year Award. These Orange drivers were also among the top six regional individual drivers and move on to the state-level competition Oct. 17 in Delaware, Ohio. Sheila Dikowicz, the Orange Schools’ transportation supervisor, served as the North Regional Road-e-o coordinator.Orange consistently performs well in the School Bus Driver Safety Road-e-o, a competition testing bus drivers on safety knowledge, vehicle inspection and driving skills.Orange art students created murals for the event.