FIVE outstanding students of William S. Reyes Elementary School yesterday received certificates signed by President Bush for maintaining academic excellence and getting a very high score in the Standardized Achievement Test in math or reading.
Aside from the certificate signed by Bush and WSR Principal Paz C. Younis, each of the five students also received the gold President’s Award for Educational Excellence pin.
WSR, the oldest school in the Northern Marianas, held its annual 6th grade promotion and awards ceremony yesterday.
Sixth grade teacher Christine Halloran said the president’s award program, which started in 1983, aims to recognize students who showed outstanding educational growth, improvement, commitment or intellectual development in their academic subjects.
WSR is among the few schools in the CNMI that give out the President’s Award for Educational Excellence.
Halloran said they also distributed peacebuilder awards to students who have shown helpfulness, cooperation and positive attitude toward peers and teachers.
Several students received citizenship awards which are given to those who have never been referred to the principal’s office for behavioral problems.
Halloran said the parents of these children should be commended for teaching them good manners.
Students who excelled in sports were also awarded. Those with perfect attendance and those who helped the special education class as teacher aides were also recognized.
“Teacher aide students who are helping the special education class for at least 40 minutes or an hour a day assisting their peers were also honored,” Halloran said.
Not only were graduates recognized yesterday at WSR. The students also prepared a little something for their parents which school authorities distributed while the children were singing the song “You Are Our Hero.”
“While the children were singing that song, Education Deputy Commissioner Rita Sablan, Mrs. Younis, Mr. Ada (vice principal) and our counselor distributed to the parents (the gift) that our students prepared for them,” Halloran said.
WSR Vice Principal Alfred Ada said a total of 85 6th graders received their certificates while 90 kindergarten students graduated.
