Grammar School awards Lt. Col. Alton Willms Citizenship Award

Reminder Publications submitted photo
The Annual Alton Willms Citizenship Award Recipient, sixth grader Alyssa Picknelly, her parents Peter and Melissa Picknelly of Springfield and Dr. Paul Mengel, Headmaster of the Grammar School at Somersville.



Somersville, Conn. - Alyssa Picknelly, of Springfield, earned the Alton Willms Citizenship Award. The award was presented during the Memorial Day program that took place at the Grammar School at Somersville where Alyssa is a sixth grade student. The award is given to the student who demonstrates always being a good friend, setting a good example for others, always smiling, doing little things for others that can make a difference, being good school citizen and having a great school attitude.

Alton Willms was a retired Air Force Colonel who was a strong proponent of the Grammar School. He was active in 14 of the school's Memorial Day programs as well as miscellaneous day to day activities in the school. Because of this, Lt. Col. Willms became a part of the Grammar School family. After his death in 1997, the then sixth grade class created this award and designed the criteria for the award based upon all the qualities that Lt. Col. Willms stood for in life. Things like patriotism, citizenship, education, being a positive role model, having a happy attitude, always caring about others and giving an extra effort to do the little things that count.

Each year at the Grammar School at Somersville, faculty and staff vote a sixth grade student to be the recipient of the Alton Willms Citizenship Award.