Two Wabash Students Recognized During Elks National Youth Week

Dani Lee, Superintendent Jason Callahan and Dharma Klug

By Tim Arnett

WABASH,Indiana – In celebration of the Elks National Youth Week which runs from May 1^st through the 7^th, two students were recognized for their accomplishments at the Wabash Elks Lodge #471 on Wednesday.

Dani Lee, who will be a freshman at Wabash High School in the fall, was honored for the mentoring she does nearly everyday at the Access Youth Center in Wabash. Executive Director Liz Hobbs told MiBash News that Lee is involved in all the after school programs the Access offers. Lee called going down to the Access simply a lot of fun. In addition, she said she likes the After Five Program which sends kids to nursing homes to interact with elderly residents twice a month. Lee on why she also enjoys mentoring younger kids at the Access.

Laura Helm, Director of the Wabash Alternative School, introduced the other recognized student, Dharma Klug.

Helm said that, despite the being a senior, Klug was short almost two full years worth of credits necessary for her to graduate with the Class of 2016. Amazingly, Klug made up almost two years of credits – and only since January. Klug told the crowd assembled that she did all that work in such a small amount of time because she was sick of being a disappointment to her family. She describes one of the factors that made her stop caring about school.

But all that changed in January when she said something clicked in her head – something she called a “miracle.” Now, Helm said Klug puts her head down and completes work that normally takes weeks only in a few days. Specifically, she earned six credits in just 24 days. Klug intends on becoming a certified nursing assistant and, in recognition of her pure determination, the Elks promised to provide funds for her exam and other necessary items like scrubs.