The Hartley Sentinel-The Everly/Royal News - Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties

Two Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School students were recognized for their dedication to Hawk athletics with the Hard Working Athlete Award. The awards were presented to seniors Kaley Pearson and Connor Dodd at the Booster Club Banquet on May 4. Dodd is a repeat honoree, having received the initial boys' award last year.

Any student in grades 9-12 is eligible to be nominated by an H-M-S coach. They must be involved in at least two sports; be committed to weight room participation; and be committed to their sports and to improvement of themselves, their teams and the school.

Each head coach reviewed the accomplishments of their teams during the school year. The guest speaker was Joel Penner, head football coach at Dordt University in Sioux Center. He encouraged the student-athletes to be "hope dealers" by recognizing the power of hope and encouraging one another.