While some students have trouble meeting the minimum community service hours required by their schools, others go above and beyond in volunteering to help others. The Kiwanis Club of Castle Pines is honored to recognize five students who fall into the latter category.

Laura Brown, Katie Matsunaka, Jackie Moore, Jessica Moore and Zachary Zeidler were given scholarship checks and commended for their community service at a recent meeting of the club. Club members invited the students and their parents to the Celtic Crossing Restaurant in Castle Pines North, where the club meets each Tuesday for lunch.

Also present at the meeting were David Sapienza, teacher at Rock Canyon High School, and Wendy Strait, a counselor at Mountain Vista High School. Each serves as the faculty advisor for the Key Club at their respective schools. Key Club International is the oldest and largest service organization of high school students, and is a member of the Kiwanis International family. The Kiwanis Club of Castle Pines supports both Key Clubs. Joe Magoffin, Greg Polashock and Tige Stromire serve as Key Club sponsors.

The Kiwanis Club accepts applications from Key Club members for a certain number of the scholarships, while some of the scholarships are open to any student who is a resident of Douglas County. Scholastic achievement, leadership, past service activities and future plans for community service is considered in awarding the monies.

The Castle Pines club raises funds for the scholarships through its Pancake Breakfast, held in conjunction with the Rock Slide Community Fun Run each November. To learn more about the Kiwanis Club of Castle Pines visit www.cpkiwanis.org or call 303-669-6536 or 720-339-6934.

Daniel Cook is the president of the Kiwanis Club of Castle Pines.