Cathedral’s Elliott wins Horatio Alger award
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, March 8, 2000
Cathedral School junior Johnathan Elliott has big goals in mind for the Adams County Humane Society. Elliott has spent several years volunteering at the shelter, cleaning cages and helping out the staff. He now wants to raise money for much needed expansion of the Liberty Road shelter.
&uot;The shelter is pitiful,&uot; Elliott said. &uot;Basically it’s undersized for what it serves.&uot;
Last month the Horatio Alger Association honored him for his hard work.
The association named Elliott a recipient of the 2000 Horatio Alger America Award, an award given to youth who have worked to improve the community.
&uot;I was real happy,&uot; Elliott said of the award. &uot;I didn’t expect it,&uot;
Only two students in the state and 102 in the nation were named by the association. Each winner received a $2,000 savings bond.
Elliott began working at the shelter while in the sixth grade because he knows of the director and because his older siblings volunteered there.
&uot;I just go when I have the time and basically do whatever’s needed,&uot; he said.
He also helped his school’s Key Club last fall volunteer at the shelter for Make A Difference Day.
One of Elliott’s goals is to raise awareness about the shelter’s need for more space. &uot;I always tell people how it is there,&uot; he said. &uot;It’s kind of sad going there and seeing the animals.&uot;
He also encourages his friends to go there if they want a pet. &uot;You get a lot of a different variety of animals (there),&uot; said Elliott. &uot;You get a lot of cute animals there and most of them are all around friendly.&uot;
Elliott said one of his first fund-raising steps will be to contact the people on the board of trustees with the Horatio Alger Association.