Addilyn Sugden Selected as January Seward Youth Rotarian of the Month
Launch the media gallery 1 player
At its January 28, 2026 club meeting, the Seward Rotary Club recognized Seward High School senior, Addilyn Sugden, as the Youth Rotarian of the Month. Addilyn is the daughter of Dawn and Rusty Sugden. Youth Rotarians of the Month are selected based on their service, scholarship, leadership, and citizenship efforts during high school. They receive a book scholarship for college and a bag of information about Seward. Monthly Youth Rotarians are also finalists for the Seward Youth Rotarian of the Year award which will be presented at the annual SHS Honors Night.
Addilyn demonstrates academic excellence with her 4.1 GPA and an outstanding score of 33 on her ACT. She has been on the Honor Roll with a Summa Cum Laude status for 14 terms. Addilyn has completed several Advanced Placement courses and earned college credit in multiple classes and has also been a National Honor Society member since 2024.
Addilyn demonstrates her commitment to her school through her participation and success in many school activities. She is a four-year member and currently serves as the president of the Seward High School FBLA chapter. This is an intra-curricular organization known as Future Business Leaders of America. She has many state-level accolades in FBLA including earning first place in the Word Processing competition. She is a four-year member of the Speech team, and a two-year member of the One Acts team. This past fall, she earned the Outstanding Actress Award three times for her exemplary role as the mother in the 1930s-based show “Dirt.” Addilyn is also a three-year member in Key Club and has been active on the Bluejay Leadership Team, as a Seward High Ambassador, a four-year Cheer team member and a captain, a Dance Team member, and four-year Quizbowl member.
Addilyn has more than 180 hours of community service hours documented, and some include those completed during her three-year membership in Key Club, a student Kiwanis organization. She has helped with the Multicultural Fair, Bluejay Way Community Service Day, Baking with Ridgewood, and Operation Christmas Child. She has also served as a camp counselor of Outdoor Education, led Cheer and Softball camps for area kids, helped with clean up after football games, helped with her church’s Vacation Bible School in a variety of roles, and helped with the Olde Glory Theatre fundraiser events.
In addition to her service, academic, and leadership excellence, Addilyn has demonstrated and grown her skills through work opportunities in the Seward and surrounding communities through her employment in childcare at Our Redeemer Little Learners and as a pet sitter since 2024.
Addilyn plans to study chemistry at the University of Nebraska - Omaha following graduation in May 2026.
The Seward Rotary Club wishes the best to Addilyn and all area seniors; and the club encourages each of them to embrace opportunities to serve others locally and around the world with their specific gifts and interests.