Rotary Club of Jacksonville names first vocational student of the year
Dominick York became the first Rotary Vocational Student of the Year, a new honor tied to the workforce paths many Morgan County students take after high school.
The Rotary Club of Jacksonville gave Dominick York its first Rotary Vocational Student of the Year Award, a new recognition that puts career and technical education beside the club’s long-running academic honors. For Routt Catholic High School senior Dominick York, the award highlighted a path that leads directly into the local workforce: Lincoln Land Community College, then truck driving and a CDL license.
The club presented the honor at its Feb. 20 meeting, with past president Jenna Tucker making the presentation. York’s parents, Scott York and Michelle York, attended, and Routt Catholic High School principal Danielle Evans also spoke during the presentation. Reg Ankrom, who chairs the Rotary Vocational Committee, said the effort is aimed at students who deserve and need encouragement and affirmation.
York had already been recognized as the Rotary Vocational Student of the Month for February 2026, and the new year-end award made him the first student to receive the top vocational honor. The club’s monthly program began with Corbin Kuhn in December 2025 and continued with Rudy McCulloch in January 2026, showing that the Rotary’s vocational recognition was built as an ongoing program rather than a one-time tribute.
That matters in Morgan County because not every student is headed for a four-year campus, and the Rotary Club’s decision signals that those students should be seen, too. A truck-driving career with a CDL license is not a fallback in Jacksonville. It is a practical route into work that keeps goods moving, supports regional business, and fills jobs that demand training, reliability, and certification.
The Rotary Club has also kept its scholarship work separate from the vocational program, offering a one-time $2,000 senior scholarship for college-bound students and continuing its Scholar-Athlete Awards for students from more than 20 west-central Illinois schools. Together, those efforts show a broader shift in how the club recognizes success, from college preparation to vocational training and community service.
By naming York as its first vocational student of the year, the Rotary Club of Jacksonville sent a clear message to families, educators, and employers across Morgan County: practical skills and career training are not second-tier options, but an important part of the future.
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