By Joseph Goral
Staff Writer
jgoral@mihomepaper.com
OXFORD TWP. — Twenty-eight Oxford-area youths were honored on Friday during Oxford-Addison Youth Assistance’s (OAYA) annual award ceremony at Oxford Middle School.

The awards recognize students nominated for their selfless acts in the Oxford, Addison and Leonard communities, whether it was setting a positive example through their actions, being a mentor in the 42 Strong peer-to-peer mentorship program, befriending a kindergartner on the autism spectrum, or through other acts or demonstrating positive traits.
“These are kids that have been doing everything right and are getting recognized for it,” said Brendan Westenbarger, Oxford police officer and OAYA chair, adding OAYA is about celebrating children that are helping people.
OAYA is a nonprofit that develops programs to meet community needs often in collaboration with others Oxford Community Schools, service clubs, the faith-based community and local businesses and governments.
Those honored received a certificate of recognition from OAYA and an orange draw-string bag filled gifts.
The kids and their families had dinner and dessert in the school’s commons before the ceremony began on stage. As the honorees name’s and acts were listed, they shook hands with, gave a fist bump or high five to representatives from OAYA, the Oxford Village Police Department, Oxford Fire Department, Oakland County government, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, Oxford Township and the Michigan House of Representatives.
In all, 44 students received awards, with 28 attending the ceremony.

This year’s full list of nominees include Carol Umm R. Abdou, Christopher Acuna Salazar, Ryan Adkins Jr., Brady Akers, Emma Alexander, Chase Beall, Leonardo Bolognesi, Micah Briggs, Jack Brown, Lillian Burch, Shawn Butts, Morgan Cheng, Annalee Corbin, John Michael Edwards, Douglas A. Frank, Zoe Hannona, Eilish Hendrickson, Ethan Hockenberger, Vicktoria Islas, Samantha Jolivet, Kate Kochanski, McKenna Kree, Ethan Kussner, Jesse McDonough, Charlize McFarland, Jaxx McFarland, Vivanne McQueen, Joseph Moore, Hunter Neiman, Lauren Niemi, Jada Novak, Khloe Olkowski, Edith Pinchback, Vanessa Ramirez, Ryan Raphael, Isabella Rospierski, Evelyn Sanborn, Clyde M. Scarlett, Delaney Marie Sikora, Karol Tellez-Nunez, Patrick Vestrand, Jenna Wait, Max Wiggins and Betty Yagley.