Surnames: Armbrust, Medenwaldt

----Source: The Tribune - Phonograph (Abbotsford, Clark Co., WI), Wednesday, December 3, 2008, page 18

Medenwaldt named Lions Student of the Quarter Abbotsford High School senior Madison Medenwaldt has been named the Abbotsford Lions Club Student of the Quarter. She is currently taking courses including world literature, social problems and issues, advanced placement U.S. history, physical education, family foods, trigonometry and choir A. After graduation Madison plans to pursue a career in elementary education. She will attend either U-W Stout in Menomonie or Central College in Pella, Iowa. After completing college she hopes to move back to central Wisconsin to teach. Family foods teacher Juliann Armbrust nominated Medenwaldt for the Student of the Quarter award. "Madison is very deserving and should be recognized for the time she has committed to her projects, school and community," Armbrust said. "She never takes the easy way out when completing projects. "In the classroom 'Maddie' is extremely kind to her classmates and treats everyone with respect. An example of this is she has a classmate who is deaf instead of relying on the interpreter she signs each interaction." Through Madison's leadership in the local Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) chapter, projects are developed that serve the community. She has raised money to purchase school supplies for needy children, conducted workshops for parents on the dangers of teenagers using drugs, and created a cost-effective dance for her fellow schoolmates. Armbrust noted the State FCCLA has selected Medenwaldt to be a member of the elite Financial Fitness Peer Education team. Of her goal to become a teacher, Armbrust said, "With Maddie's kind heart and high expectations, she will meet her goals. I will be proud to call her my peer." Madison has been very involved in co-curricular activities. Her resume includes Big Brothers-Big Sisters, Clark County Teen Court, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), forensics, girls basketball, jazz band, National Honor society, one act play, show choir, softball, volleyball, Student Senate; and FCCLA.

She finds time to volunteer for many community activities, including blood drives, the Abbotsford Christmas parade and Abbotsford Lions Club brunches. She also served as a tutor in the Abbotsford Elementary After School program and as an aide during the Abbotsford Summer School program. During the summer months she works as a lifeguard and teaches swim lessons to children ages 4-12.

Madison said an outstanding aspect of the community is how much pride the residents of Abbotsford have for it. Examples she listed are the STH 29 bypass, the new city hall and library, improvements on STH 13 and the new elementary school.

"All of it is for the good of our neighbors," she said. "Whether you're a business owner, a parent, a student or a resident, being part of Abbotsford is much more than just living here. It's the experience of always looking forward to a better tomorrow."

Medenwaldt was asked to identify a world problem and offer a solution. "I would want to fix the environment and pollution problem the world is dealing with," she said. "We were given this one earth to live on and we need to protect it so we can continue to live here. Once the layer of atmosphere that protects us wears away, we can't put a patch over it. We need to reduce the amount of damage we're doing now so future generations can thrive." Madison is the daughter of Todd and Brenda Medenwaldt, Abbotsford, Wis.