It’s been a terrific school year for the Fountain Hills Noon Kiwanis Club.

Each week during the 2013-14 school year selected students at McDowell Mountain and Four Peaks elementary schools as well as the Charter School have been recognized as “Terrific Kids” for their attitude and character traits.

The Kiwanis-sponsored program rewards students not necessarily for academic-related accomplishments but for being “terrific” with respect to attitude, cooperation, respect, honesty and other character traits.

The program culminates each year when key students are chosen who have embodied the program’s goals throughout the school year.

The students are brought to a Noon Kiwanis luncheon by their school principals or teachers – one student even had a police escort one year – and then surprised with brand new bicycles as a reward for their behavior and attitude during the school year.

Parents are invited as well, further adding to the joy of the occasion each year.

Students surprised with bikes and helmets this year – sold to Kiwanis at discount by Fountain Hills Bikes – were Scarlet Tornabene and Lucas Doka, Fountain Hills Charter School; Colin Gallagher and Eliza Bartholomew, McDowell Mountain Elementary School; and Lucio Ellis and Livia Ghalayini, Four Peaks Elementary School.

Noon Kiwanis Club President Mike Scharnow noted that it is likely the club’s most anticipated meeting of the year because of the looks on the kids’ faces.

“We talk about ‘Kiwanis moments’ in our club, and those are true Kiwanis moments,” Scharnow said.

“They help remind our members why they are Kiwanians and what our club represents.”

The motto of Kiwanis International is “serving the children of the world.”

The Noon Kiwanis Club has held several successful fundraisers this year and gave out thousands to worthy causes and programs, most of them youth-oriented.

The club also emphasizes hands-on service projects, such as Make a Difference Day, Day of Play, Kiwanis One Day, making dinner for residents of Ronald McDonald House, serving lunch at Phoenix Rescue Mission, volunteering at Extended Hands Food Bank and others.

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.

Kiwanis celebrates its 100th anniversary next year. The Fountain Hills Noon Club marks its 40th anniversary in 2015.

The Noon Kiwanis Club meets most Thursdays at 12 noon at the Kiwanis Activity Center, although its summer schedule has been trimmed.

The group’s next meeting is Thursday, June 19.

Guests are invited to stop by for a free lunch and learn more about Kiwanis or contact Scharnow at 837-9856.

Additional information also is available at www.fhkiwanis.org.