ST. MARYS, Ohio (WLIO) – Jefferson Award winner Kera Dorsten loves being involved. This Saint Marys senior balances her passion for giving while excelling in the classroom.
“I volunteer because I think it is important to give back to our community and see how it can thrive with other people's assistance. And it's also good to have a foundation of being a human and understanding that everyone's perfect and everyone needs an assistance sometimes,” says Kera Dorsten, 2025 Jefferson Award winner.
Jefferson Award winner Kera Dorsten loves being involved. This Saint Marys senior balances her passion for giving while excelling in the classroom.
Dorsten helps wherever she can, and her resume reads like that of someone twice her age. Whether she is leading clubs or the marching band at Saint Marys High School, assisting at Buckland United Church of Christ during services and with women's fellowship, or volunteering at Family Promise, Dorsten stays busy. She also serves as treasurer on the Auglaize County Junior Fair Board and chair of the rabbit department.
“I think it's really important to be part of 4-H because it gives you kind of a grit, and it gives you different perspectives on that everyone has at school. I would say it's more of hard working. You have to get stuff done, you have to be willing to go out in the barn and work with your animal. And it also teaches you networking,” adds Dorsten.
Luann Everett, who nominated Dorsten for the award, calls her an inspiration to others.
“She is already a leader. Just getting other people to help her to go up, you know, she had eight kids that went up and prepared meals for Family Promise. And, you know, not everybody would do that. I mean, kids nowadays don't think about helping others,” says Everett.
In addition to her extensive volunteering, Dorsten is taking college classes and maintaining top grades. She aims to attend Ohio State Lima and major in education, with a goal of becoming an administrator someday.
In addition to her extensive volunteering, Dorsten is taking college classes and maintaining top grades.
“I mean, I have a calendar in my phone, and I look at it, and it's a little daunting, not going to lie. But I also understand that if I can give even 10 minutes of my time and make it full, full worth everything that's all that matters. It's not about how much time you're using, but how you're applying the time,” says Dorsten.
“Just remarkable. She's someone that I can be proud and honored to know, and hopefully, when she goes to college next year, she will get into a service organization there,” adds Everett.
That was Kera Dorsten, one of our 2025 Jefferson Award winners.
