Beginning this spring, the Democrat and Chronicle will begin highlighting one of Greater Rochester’s most important assets – our students.

On a variety of fronts and in numerous endeavors in schools and in our communities, teenagers do remarkable work and harness their considerable talents and make an enormous difference in the quality of life locally.

Some are musicians, others artists. Some perform on the stage, while others are outstanding writers and speakers. Some make us marvel at their knowledge of math or science. Many others volunteer locally in places of worship or in nursing homes or for all sorts of nonprofit agencies. And still others manage to do remarkable things while holding down part-time jobs.

The D&C’s new ROC Students initiative will enable a sampling of local students to receive recognition each week in the D&C and at www.democratandchronicle.com. As with our existing Athlete of the Week features, we will list a handful of students in a specific area (say, art students) and give readers two days to vote on a winner. At the end of the school year, we’ll produce special pages incorporating all the winners and the nominees who have been featured.

What we need from parents, students, teachers, guidance counselors, employers and volunteer coordinators: Please nominate students of note at this link, sharing with us this information:

• Name• School• Grade• Parents• Why nominated• Future plans• Photo• A contact phone number and email (which won’t be published)

When nominating a student, please clear with them and/or their parents. Also, be sure any information submitted is accurate. And please limit the “Why nominated” section to 150 words detailing why you believe the student is worthy of recognition.

Starting March 26, we will publish our first ROC Students ballot, with a different theme each week going forward.

Our region’s students are our region’s future. Let’s do our best to highlight many of them and honor the impact they are having on our communities and the world around them.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Student of the Week in Rochester NY: D&C need your submissions