Kortini Joseph named February Rotary Student of the Month
Terra State Community College interactive media student Kortini Joseph has been named the College’s Fremont Rotary Student of the Month for February 2020. The Fremont Ross High School student chose to take College Credit Plus (CCP) classes at Terra State because the College is “so close to where I live and I can get college credit while in high school that will transfer later.”
Kortini is a student who goes above and beyond in every facet of her life. She has received Academic High Honors since she was in third grade, earned several awards through Fremont Ross’ Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter and is currently working on obtaining a State FFA Degree. In 2018, she was added to the Dean’s List at Terra State and last year, she was elected President of Terra State’s Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honors Society chapter.
At Terra State, Kortini has served as a student ambassador for Exploration Day, collected gifts for the Liberty Center as part of PTK’s “Angel Tree” project, volunteered to help with the Midwest Rhythm Summit and more. At Fremont Ross, she has served as a reporter in FFA writing articles and presentations as well as organizing events, keeping track of “FFA Dollars” reward system, maintaining the list of community service hours for each member of FFA and much more. She is also involved in the Conservation Outdoor Activities Club (COAC) and participated in Fremont Ross TV (FRTV).
“Last fall, the PTK officers went to Bowling Green Community Center for Seniors to do a presentation on internet safety. Kortini helped organize the research and also spoke at the event,” explained Associate Professor Michelle White.
In addition to all of the service she puts into her school activities, she is just as involved volunteering in the community. “I often volunteer through different organizations that I am a part of. Some of these activities include planting flowers at the Sandusky County fairgrounds with my 4-H club and organizing events during the Sandusky County Fair with the Junior Fair Board,” Kortini said. “I also volunteer on my own with stimulating cats at the Sandusky County Humane Society, helping with the Washington Elementary Chili Festival, counting and packaging boxes of gifts for Operation Christmas Child and being a camp counselor for the Sandusky County Parks District Nature Camp over the summer.”
Michelle is baffled at the amount of service Kortini has offered the campus and community. “When you see her list of extracurricular activities, you might wonder how she has time to get everything done, manage good grades and also work outside the home,” she said.
Next year, after Kortini earns her AAS, she plans to transfer to Bowling Green State University (BGSU) to study media production. “I will bring with me all of the knowledge from my current video production classes that I have taken while at Terra State,” Kortini said. “I also feel that Terra State has given me a new, more enjoyable perspective of learning that I find missing in my high school classes. Lastly, I will be taking with me the leadership skills and community project experiences that I have gained through Terra State’s Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society chapter.”
For anyone interested in taking CCP classes, Kortini recommends trying it. “If you are considering being in college after you graduate high school, taking CCP classes is a good transition since you are taking high school and college classes, and it gives you college credit that can transfer,” she said.