Schools recognize promising students
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on February 20, 2011 1:50 AM
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News-Argus/DENNIS HILL
Jamal Tucker, center, a ninth-grader at Wayne High Academy, acknowledges the crowd as he receives his Promise Award Thursday night at H.V. Brown Center. Thirty-one students, one from each public school in the county, were recognized during the fourth annual Promise Award Banquet. Also pictured are Patricia Burden, left, Wayne High principal, and Dexter Evans, assistant principal of Rosewood High School.
Exemplary students are not always measured by test scores or points made on the ballfield.
Sometimes it's about heart and spirit and simply showing up for class every day to tackle the task at hand.
So, four years ago, Dexter Evans, assistant principal at Rosewood High School, pitched an idea of recognizing school standouts to the district's PAPA, or Principals and Assistant Principals Association.
Out of it was born the Promise Awards, given to one student from each school.
"I thought it was important for us as administrators to sponsor this award," Evans said at Thursday night's event, held at the H.V. Brown Center. "These students that are selected ... come to school every day working hard toward success.
"Many are not the highest grade point average, but in terms of work ethic and work efforts, their scores would rank among the highest in the school."
Nominations are made by teachers, then selected by principals, based on characteristics from the acronym for PROMISE: pay attention, resilience, optimistic, model citizens, integrity, sensible and enterprising.
The guests of honor were singled out for their efforts throughout the year, and praised for serving as an example for their classmates, said Dr. Steve Taylor, superintendent.
"We do a lot of work every day with children, that's our job, helping to shape and mold them to be able to graduate on time," he said. "If we do our jobs right, that'll happen."
Taylor said it is rewarding to see students grow and excel, and then be able to recognize them for the accomplishment.
"Sometimes that's in a quiet way, sometimes that's in a more visible way," he said.
Parents and guardians were also acknowledged for their contributions and examples for the students recognized.
"You send us your best and you trust us to do what we do with your best, and we are honored to do that," said Sonja Emerson, assistant principal of Tommy's Road Elementary School and hospitality chairman for the event. "We thank you for giving us that opportunity."
Award recipients included:
* Ana Meza, Brogden Middle
* Anllely Calmo, Brogden Primary
* Virginia Anttila, Carver Elementary
* Allissa Hatch, Carver Heights
* Brooke Butts, Charles B. Aycock
* Shykira Farmer, Dillard Middle
* Jacari Outlaw, Eastern Wayne Elementary
* Alice Breedlove, Eastern Wayne High
* Jimmy Parks, Eastern Wayne Middle
* Torre Fields, Edgewood
* Madison Slye, Fremont STARS
* Jodeci Rivers, Goldsboro High
* Meredith Futrelle, Grantham
* Maria Mandujano, Greenwood Middle
* Xavier Hicks, Meadow Lane Elementary
* Taniyah Strickland, Mount Olive Middle
* Ziomara Williams, North Drive Elementary
* Earl Coleman, Northeast Elementary
* Marisa Reid, Northwest Elementary
* Summer Crane, Norwayne Middle
* Hannah Bargoil, Rosewood Elementary
* Gabriel Hare, Rosewood High
* Luke Teague, Rosewood Middle
* Vanijah Scott, School Street Elementary
* Ashley McLean, Southern Wayne High
* Sha'Diamon Sutton, Spring Creek Elementary
* Stephanie Lam, Spring Creek High
* Isaias Domingo, Tommy's Road Elementary
* Danielle Brown, Wayne Early Middle College High
* Christopher Pridgen, Wayne Middle Academy
* Jamal Tucker, Wayne High Academy
* Shaun Godfrey, Wayne School of Engineering