To the editor:

For over 40 years, the Keough family has sponsored the Good Neighbor awards in our local schools. Normally a member of our family would present the award to the recipients at the awards ceremony. But with the changes this year due to the pandemic restrictions, we were not able to do that.

We hope this letter will provide the recognition of the students that would normally be done with their classmates and teachers.

Classmates select a girl and a boy they feel best meet the criteria of a Good Neighbor in their class.

The criteria used by fellow classmates to select a Good Neighbor are:

¯ Good Neighbors are positive in nature;

¯ Seek the positive in others, have qualities that are desirable in daily behavior with others;

¯ Have personal respect for themselves and others;

¯ Are reliable, pleasant, kind and loyal; are sensitive to the feelings of others;

¯ Treat all persons with respect, fairness, courtesy, kindness, understanding, compassion and support;

¯ Are interactive with all persons and not just the popular special groups;

¯ Have a strong set of personal values;

¯ Are consistent;

¯ Have the inner character to stand by their values and do what is right, even when it is not popular or the in thing to do.

This year’s Good Neighbor selection selected by by their classmates are:

¯ St. Bernard’s School: Alvia Baletrino Ball and Carson St. Louis.

¯ Saranac Lake Middle School: Nelle Aaron and Nash Carlisto.

¯ Graduating Saranac Lake High School seniors: Nora Glover and Gabriel Faubert.

Congratulations to these students who have exemplified the qualities their classmates respect and value.

Peg and Ron Keough, on behalf of the Keough family

Saranac Lake