DAPHNE, Ala.—Bayside Academy recently honored Adam Sack with the 2009 Distinguished Alumnus Award at the school’s annual Christmas Together program.

The award is presented every year to a Bayside graduate whose life exemplifies in an exceptional way the academic and social values set before him during his years as a Bayside student and whose outstanding accomplishments in his professional field and his civic leadership have won him the respect, confidence and affection of the community.

Sack, who graduated in 2003, was recognized for his two years of service as a soldier in the Israeli army. He returned to Daphne in September and continues to serve in the reserves.

Sack’s decision to join the Israeli army was a result of his strong faith in Judaism and his love for Israel, his native homeland. In 2006 he connected with a group called Garin Tzabar, which assists North American Jewish youth in becoming “lone soldiers” in Israel. He officially joined the army in November, and then dedicated the next two years of his life in military training to become a full-fledged soldier.

Since returning to Daphne, Sack has joined his father in the family business, Sack’s Carpet Cleaning.