SCOTT CITY RESIDENTS EARN STATE RECOGNITION

SCOTT CITY -- Two Scott City residents captured Community Betterment Awards for their work in promoting the city.

Shirley Young was honored with the 1992 Adult Leadership Award for her 36 years of continuous volunteer service to the community.

Jennifer Bertrand was presented the youth leadership award for her work in a "Buy Local" campaign sponsored by Scott City High School's Future Business Leaders of America.

Edith Davidson, who received the award in 1991, nominated both Young and Bertrand.

Davidson said Scott City was the only community to receive two individual awards at the 29th annual Community Betterment Conference held in Columbia. Gov. John Ashcroft presented the awards.

Ten awards were presented to adult leaders and five youth leaders were honored.

Davidson said about 100 applications were received in each category from across the state.

About 100 communities in Missouri, including Scott City, belong to the Missouri Community Betterment organization. The organization is designed to encourage local volunteer projects.

Young is former alderman and mayor of Scott City, serving from 1989 to 1992.

Under her leadership, the city annexed a 543-acre industrial tract and provided water and sewer service to the area. She started a recycling program with the donation of a chipper from Union Electric, and expanded 911 emergency telephone service was approved by voters.

She organized the Scott City Historic Preservation Commission, and currently serves on the Scott City Chamber of Commerce, and is a member of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Bertrand was president of the Future Business Leaders of America at Scott City High School last year when the organization sponsored a "Buy Local" campaign. Scott City residents were encouraged to shop at home town merchants for a week. Merchants kept track of sales receipts and students studied the impact.

In addition, under Bertrand's leadership, the organization conducted a survey of high school students, gathering their opinions on local government, drug problems, parental and peer influence, and ways they thought Scott City could be improved.

At Scott City High School, Bertrand was active in National Honor Society, Student Council, and was Pep Club president.

She is now a freshman at Southeast Missouri State University, studying finance. She has applied for several leadership organizations; selections are announced in the spring.