Coastal Pender Rotary Club presented three Topsail Middle School students with awards for their essays that explained what the Rotary 4-Way Test meant to them. 

The first-place award was given to Cecilia Hunt. Second-place award was presented to Paige Els. Elisabeth Ferrell received the third-place award.  

The focus of the students’ essays is to explain how they feel about the four components involved in decision-making using the Rotary 4-Way Test: 

The 4-Way Test is: 

• 1. Is it the Truth; 
• 2. Is it Fair to all concerned; 
• 3. Will it Build Goodwill and Better Friendships; and 
• 4. Will it be Beneficial to All Concerned.  

These 4 fundamentals have been the ethical guide of Rotary International since their adoption in 1943. Its application is used to promote high ethical standards in professional life and personal relationships.  It acts as a nonpartisan and nonsectarian ethical compass for decisions. It is also intended for examination of one’s own behavior rather than a tool to judge others. 

Tom Dareneau, chairman of the Coastal Pender Rotary Club’s essay review committee, stated, “This year’s essays were intuitive and with insightful consideration given to their interpretation of the 4-Way Test both in decision making as well as describing a positive blueprint for personal living.”  

Cecilia Hunt’s first-place essay was forwarded to the Rotary District office to compete with more thanr 50 other southeastern North Carolina Rotary club winners for a chance to receive the District’s 1^st place prize of $500, along with her teacher, Mr. Travis Geddis, who would also receive a $500 prize.