JANESVILLE — “Music at the Marv†turned into a celebration Tuesday night as over 400 students from Craig High School, Parker High School, Milton High School, and Janesville charter schools were recognized for “Making the Grade.â€
The Janesville Noon Rotary Club hosted its 26th annual “Making the Grade†Academic Recognition Celebration from 4:30 to 6:15 p.m. at the Marvin W. Roth Community Pavilion in downtown Janesville. The event was followed by a free community concert by the VanDwellers.
“I love the idea now that they’ve combined it with the music at the Marv,†said Shawn Kane, assistant principal of Craig High School. “ItÃÛèÖÊÓƵ a great way to showcase whatÃÛèÖÊÓƵ going on in the downtown Janesville area, and definitely exposing some of our Milton family and friends to come down here and see ‘Music at the Marv,’ too.â€
Founded in 1919, the Janesville Noon Rotary Club is committed to “Service Above Self†through initiatives that support youth, education, international exchange, and community development, according to a news release.
This special event recognized more than 1,400 students for demonstrating academic achievement, leadership, responsibility, and a commitment to excellence. Students were eligible if they achieved a 3.0 GPA or higher during the 2024–2025 school year and are entering grades 10 through 12 this fall.
“Making the Grade is one of our most meaningful annual events,†said Janet Fugate, club president and Janesville noon Rotarian. “ItÃÛèÖÊÓƵ about recognizing the next generation of leaders and showing them that their hard work matters.â€
Jeremy Bilhorn, the principal of Milton High School, attended the event to recognize his students and others. He expressed his gratitude to the Rotarians for bringing the “Making the Grade†event back after a couple of years.
“We kind of lost it for a couple years there and post-COVID, and I’m really grateful for all the Rotarians that really want to see this program continue and honor all the students in the Milton and Janesville area,†Bilhorn said.
Each honored student received a custom medallion and kiss-cut sticker and was entered into drawings for $50 Kwik Trip gift cards and $250 scholarships to support their future education.
Sallie Hanna-Downey, a teacher with the Janesville school district, attended with her son, Grayson, a senior at Milton High School. She expressed pride in his accomplishments.
“Grayson is a hard worker and I like to see my son excel just like other students in the district,†she said.
The celebration featured brief messages from school district representatives, Rotary leadership, and the eventÃÛèÖÊÓƵ main sponsor, The Mallon Group.
Lauryn Elzy, a 2025 graduate of Craig High School, said she believes events like this are important because they highlight the value of academic success and the hard work students put into their studies.
“I think itÃÛèÖÊÓƵ important to show that academic success is good and people should be working on their grades in school,†Elzy said.
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