Norwich — The students who paraded across the Kelly Middle School Auditorium stage last week were honored for more than academic, musical or athletic accomplishments often associated with school awards celebrations.

These students have excelled in many of those endeavors, but they also help with the dishes at home, pick vegetables and weed an elderly neighbor's garden, escort younger students to the bus and make sure new students don't get lost in the school hallways or grounds.

Every November, one student from each Norwich public school receives the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents award that celebrates student achievement, character, community service and family support. Norwich Superintendent Abby Dolliver, principals and teachers all say the November Board of Education meeting that starts with the award presentation is their favorite meeting of the year.

Sean Wedge, a fifth-grader at the Moriarty Environmental Sciences Magnet School, was supposed to be physically and developmentally delayed because of a heart defect that required several surgeries in his young life. Teacher Jennifer Chochoms said Sean, however, never listened to those doctors.

Instead, he remained on track academically, helping in art classes and at school meetings. At home, Sean does yard work and picks vegetables for his elderly neighbors and even cleans up litter from the neighborhood. His mother had surgery of her own recently, and Sean took to the kitchen to help out, one day making fried eggs and English muffins for the family.

The John B. Stanton School has an anchor chart that outlines the attributes of a great team player in the school. A picture of fifth-grader LeLani Charles should be at the center of that chart, teacher George Serra said.

LeLani is “super responsible” with her own classwork, Serra said, works with other students and every day assists kindergarten students in reading, math and making sure they board the bus safely. Outside school, she dances — everything from ballet to hip hop — and is devoted to her younger sister, Natalia, 4, a preschool student at Bishop School in Norwich.

Several family members, including her 7-year-old brother Cayden, joined LeLani on stage for the award presentation, illustrating another key component of the award, school officials said: family ties.

“I see this as a celebration of families,” Wequonnoc Arts & Technology Magnet School Principal Scott Fain said.

Fain read the letter he wrote to the mother of Wequonnoc award recipient Olivia Pope. Fain called Olivia an enthusiastic learner and great role model to other students. Because of her excellence in science, she was selected to participate in Connecticut Science Center's summer program this year.

“Olivia’s selection for this award is great evidence of the wonderful support and guidance that you give to her,” Fain wrote in the letter. “It is clear that your family values her education and that you insist that she give her best effort to all things. I congratulate your entire family for selection for this award.”

At the Samuel Huntington School, fifth-grader Sawyer Barile is an avid reader and loves to talk with teachers about the latest complicated math problem he just solved, fifth-grade teacher Jessica Murphy said. He also didn't mind getting a little wet at the fifth-grade fundraiser car wash earlier this year.

“Sawyer showed up ready to work with a smile on his face and his best manners in tow,” Murphy said. “Not only did he display his ability to be self-sufficient that day, but he does every day in the classroom.”

It's only by the schedule that the Norwich Adult Education award is presented last in the hourlong awards celebration, but the timing was fitting for award recipient Marie Dauphin. A Haitian immigrant, Dauphin arrived in the United States in December 2009. One month later, her country was devastated by a deadly earthquake. Her immediate family, including her daughter, who was attending nursing school, were spared injury, but Dauphin's godmother was killed in the earthquake.

Dauphin works full time at Foxwoods Resort Casino and attends English classes at Norwich Adult Education. She also volunteers at Maria's Treasures thrift store in Taftville and at her church, the First Haitian Baptist Church of Norwich.

It was there that Dauphin found the sentiment in song to thank Norwich educators for the award and the opportunities. Dauphin closed the award ceremony singing a Haitian Creole hymn in which everyone prays for country, home, church and beautiful places from the book “Chants d'Esperance.” Her voice filled the auditorium and was greeted by rousing applause and a standing ovation.

Also honored during the Nov. 15 awards presentation were: Melissa Wu, fifth-grader at Thomas Mahan School; Leila Williams, fifth-grader at Uncas School; Iain Dauplaise, fifth-grader at Veterans' Memorial School; Alexia Ramos-Labonte, eighth-grader at Kelly Middle School, and Sarah Fedeli, sixth-grader at the Sixth Grade Academy.

c.bessette@theday.com