A new crop of Washington Ways Award recipients was announced earlier this week and the honored students were a happy bunch.
Principal Michelle Richards took to the airwaves first thing in the morning to inform students, teachers and staff of October’s award winners. As the names rang out over the building’s public address system, the smiling youngsters made their way down to the main lobby to get a colorful certificate and take a group photo in front of the school.
October’s award recipients include Matthew Alfaro, Christina Yoda, Tillie England, Leo Affa, Leo McTaggart, Austin Roberts, Behan England, Khloe Bedell, Cecilia O’Toole, John Hernandez, Annabel Cassatto, Isabella Torres, Amber Murtaza, Claire Carmody, Timothy Hardge, Jr., Fintan Hackett-Johnson and Gabriel Hernandez.
The entire classes of teachers Tina Balducci, Katie Kalkau and Melissa Studdert were recognized as October’s Blue Ticket Award honorees.
Here’s how the Washington Ways program works:
White tickets are awarded weekly for good behaviors and actions in the classroom. White ticket winners are honored with special recognition in their classroom at the end of each week and their names are announced every Monday morning.
Red tickets are presented to individuals for notable good behavior outside of classrooms, including in hallways, buses, the playground and cafeteria, etc. At the end of the month, the student in each class with the greatest number of red tickets is recognized with a special certificate.
Entire classes can earn blue tickets for positive group behavior out-of-the-classroom. Blue tickets are also awarded to the two classes within the building with the most tickets overall.
Featured Artists of the Month
In collaboration with art teacher Maria Mazzola, Washington features one artist from each classroom every month. Now in its third year, the program has generated plenty of excitement among students.
Washington’s latest group of featured artists includes Patricia Abruzzo, Riley Anderson, Abby Arelt, Jason Bencivenga, Hennie England, Thomas Evernham, Lucca Fiore, Jimmy Garay-Dominquez, Timeyah Hardge, Stewart Henry, Audrey Jenkins, Amaris Moore, Matthew Osorio and Isabella Ulloa.
Each of the youngsters were presented with a medal on a red-white and blue ribbon along with a commemorative certificate. Dr. Richards gathered the group together and they all posed for a photo. The award winning artwork is being displayed in the school’s main hallway.