The Switzerland County School Corporation honored students on Monday night as part of its monthly “Celebrating Success” program.
The program honors a student or group of students from each of the corporation’s four buildings who are nominated by a teacher and selected by the building principal. Each of the honored students and their parents are then invited to attend the school board meeting, where they are honored and presented with a pin by board president Jack Ranz.
At Monday night’s meeting, first grader Tyler McAfee was honored by Jefferson-Craig Elementary; fourth grader Christian Stogsdill was honored by Switzerland County Elementary School; seventh grader Kim Cox was honored by Switzerland County Middle School; and Tyler Allen, Tyler May, and Justin Thomas were honored by Switzerland County High School.
— Tyler McAfee was nominated by principal Darrell Hansel. In his letter of recommendation, Principal Hansel wrote:
“I am nominating Tyler McAfee for Celebrating Success for the month of October. Tyler has distinguished himself by leading the entire school in candle sales for the PTO fundraising project. He has sold nearly twice as many candles as anyone in the previous history of the project.
Tyler’s teacher, Mrs. Findley, has this to say about Tyler. “He works hard and likes to do a good job. He is eager to respond during discussions. He has a positive attitude with his work and his classmates.”
— Teacher Peggy Eckerty nominated Christian Stogsdill. In her letter of recommendation, she wrote:
“Every once in a while a teacher encounters a student who does, from the beginning, so many things right, so many things well. So many building blocks are already in place. The educator can imagine greatness. I have a student who works so hard, wants always to do right, tries always to be polite.
“Academically, this young man is really on top of things. I see his ‘wheels always turning.’ At all cost, he does the right thing. He helps out in many ways. I asked him one day what he wants to be when he grows up. His response: ‘A marine biologist.’ I asked where he wants to study. He indicated that Florida would be the place to go to learn. This young man is focused and intentional. I feel that he can be what he wants to be.”
— Kim Cox was nominated for the award by the seventh grade teachers, including social studies teacher Sean McGarvey, who was present at Monday’s meeting. The letter of recommendation stated:
“Kim has been an outstanding student up to this point in all of her classes. Her scores on tests have been perfect or near perfect. She is always well-prepared and very attentive. She is in classes with many high achievers and yet she still seems to stand out with her attitude and level of achievement. Kim shows respect to her teachers and her peers. She is a model for students to follow.”
— At the high school, agriculture teacher Greg Curlin nominated Tyler Allen, Tyler May, and Justin Thomas for their work with a new agriculture program just started at the high school. In his letter, Greg Curlin wrote:
“Tyler Allen, Tyler May and Justin Thomas have stepped up to the plate in order to create a new project to our agricultural program. With 278 Tilapia being grown in the lab facility, students will study and apply practical skills across the curriculum in English and Math. The three students have devoted extra time to make the project prosper. They are the leaders of the Advance Life Science course. Everyone in the course is getting involved in the management and research.
“Recently Tyler Allen was the chapter’s top individual in the Area Soils Contest. Justin Thomas represented the school at the Aurora Farmers Fair and Tyler May has accepted the challenge to be a member of the chapter’s first Agribusiness Career Development Team.”