Grube Recognized as SSHS Most Inspiring Student

SEELEY LAKE – Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) senior Cora Grube was among eight Missoula County Public School seniors who were recognized by the Missoula County Exchange Club through their Accepting the Challenge of Excellence (A.C.E.) Awards program. SSHS staff nominated Grube and she was recognized at a luncheon at the Double Tree in Missoula.

The A.C.E. Awards program recognizes high school seniors who have made a dramatic change in their attitude and performance during their high school years. These changes have enabled the students to overcome adversities and prepare for graduation. The award recognizes those students who are often overlooked for their accomplishments. Each recipient received a plaque and $500 scholarship.

Grube learned from her English teacher Lori Messenger that she had been nominated for the A.C.E. award by the SSHS staff. Messenger wrote the nomination letter to the Exchange Club. She talked about the academic and personal growth she has seen in Grube since her freshman year. She highlighted Grube's interest in creative writing that has served not only as an outlet in her personal life but a place of achievement and leadership at school.

Messenger also spoke of Grube's boyfriend Paul Hammerel who "looked like such a positive connection in her life." Last summer Hammerel and Grube were in a car accident that killed Hammerel.

"This fall Cora arrived at school, heartbroken, but with a new ability to connect, make friends, work with her teachers and stay in her classes," wrote Messenger in the nomination letter. "Somehow, through all the trauma, she has wrapped her arms around life and decided she's going to live it."

Messenger told Grube that she had been nominated for the A.C.E award. Grube called it the Most Inspirational Student Award.

"At first, my reaction was, why? I'm not that inspirational," said Grube. "Ms. Messenger said, 'Yes you are. You inspire me every day.' That's really nice to hear after everything."

Grube wrote two essays that the A.C.E awards council would use to make their selection. The first essay was about a specific moment she was proud of in her life. The second essay shared how she would make the community a better place to live.

In her first essay, Grube wrote about the last six months.

"Everything has been hard. Aug. 1, 2016 I was in a car accident, and my boyfriend was ejected from the vehicle. He didn't make it. Twenty-nine days later I started the first day of my senior year...It was outright painful. Being in these places that I used to see him every day was heartbreaking. And yet I woke up each morning, faced the unbearable reality of having to live without him and then ate breakfast and got on with life. I'm not sure how I manage. It's easier knowing there are so many teachers willing to help me, telling me it's okay not to be okay."

In the second essay, she highlighted how she tries to include those who do not seem to be included, and smiles and tells people they look nice if she thinks it. While she doesn't think the community of Seeley Lake needs to be changed, she added, "If I could change the world as a whole I would stop discrimination and separation of colors, race and gender." She is currently writing a letter poem to President Donald Trump about how the decisions he is making are affecting not only the community but the entire country.

Grube was chosen as the SSHS's 2017 A.C.E. recipient.

"When Ms. Messenger said I was picked I was like, wow, I still don't understand why but that is great. Apparently it wasn't just my teachers that thought I was an inspiration," said Grube.

Grube's parents Angie and Clayton were invited to attend the luncheon along with Messenger. While she was not sure her parents would be interested or that it was that big of a deal, Angie told her it was really cool and she was excited to go.

"That made me really happy too," said Grube.

Grube said she felt really out of place at the luncheon because all the other students who received the award had gone through so much more battling abuse, drug abuse or parents who abused drugs.

"When I got up and started talking about it, the way people looked at me, I don't know, they looked at me like I was a good person and made me feel really good about myself," said Grube.

Grube shared the poem that she wrote entitled "Paully." She felt it explained what it has been like since losing her boyfriend Paul.

Grube credits her teachers, parents, friends, the community and people she didn't even know for giving her the strength to keep going. She said she had complete strangers message her sending their thoughts and condolences and people who she normally did not get along with at work and school reaching out asking what they could do.

"I don't really know how to describe what it feels like to receive the award," said Grube. "It was really nice to hear it all."

"More than anything, I measure her success in the smile that reaches her eyes when she looks straight at me and tells me what she doesn't want to do and then proceeds to do it anyway," wrote Messenger in the nomination letter. "For four years I have told Cora why she should believe in herself, and while I know the credit is not mine, it pleases me immensely to see that she now does much of the time."