Student of the Month

January - Payton Weckerly

Payton is such a deserving student for this award. Payton is a student who goes above and beyond to help others and make them feel included, heard, and appreciated. He notices the little details that matters with both his peers and teachers. He works diligently to complete work and do it well and is one of the first students to take advantage of extra help and retake opportunities in times where he struggles. Payton is also someone who goes the extra mile to lend a helping hand - from bringing in recess equipment to running supplies to the office or other classrooms to helping explain content, Payton is always willing to help. He has a contagious positive attitude and welcoming demeanor that also shows his resiliency in these troubling and difficult times.  

--Ms. Meaghan McGuire

In Homeroom, Payton has been a solid leader. I agree his positive attitude is infectious. He is proud of his academic accomplishments when we talk about how is doing in classes and goal setting. 

--Mrs. Lauren Burke

I had a nice chat with Peyton the other day and he is so mature.  He understands that things are different now but he is remaining positive and still working hard to take care of his business.  He is a model for other students.

--Mr. Ryan Thompson

I had Payton in my 3D drafting class first semester. He would stay on the meet without me asking him to so that he could show his peers his screen and how he made different parts of the project. He explained it to them and when I saw him doing it, he allowed me to record him doing it so I could save it as a resource for other students to watch later. He also wasn’t happy with just the basic project, he worked hard to get the extra credit parts done as well. He worked hard in and out of class to complete it and do really good. I wish that I had more students like Payton throughout the day.

--Mrs. Alicia Kubly

 December - Molly Patterson

Molly is one of the most thoughtful, helpful, hardworking and organized students I know! I have felt extremely lucky to have Molly in both homeroom and in science. Molly is someone who is always so considerate of her peers. She is willing to ask the tough questions others may be too shy to ask. She advocates for herself and her peers when they need something. A recent example that comes to mind is helping students stay organized in their work. In homeroom, we discussed how to stay on top of missing assignments and upcoming tests and quizzes. It was Molly who advocated that we look through the week-at-a-glance documents together to help students be more prepared and organized for the week and for their Friday virtual learning days. In science Molly strives for such high levels of academic excellence. She uses any opportunity she can to improve her understanding and utilize retake opportunities. She is willing to ask for help when she needs it, and offers help to her peers when she can. In design and modeling she is always on task and willing to ask for help with her 3D drafting any time she needs it. She is also very independent and able to work on her own without getting distracted and losing focus. That is not an attribute that all 8th graders have.

--Ms. Meaghan McGuire

--Mrs. Alicia Kubly

November -Aubrey Davis

Since returning from maternity leave, Aubrey has been a student I can always count on. For example, she is consistently in the homeroom Google meet before class starts. Whenever I ask a question about technology or where to find information she is always the first to respond. Aubrey regularly provides resources for her fellow classmates by linking websites or giving them tips on different ways to troubleshoot any issues they may be having. Not only is she dependable, her academic achievement is outstanding. Aubrey currently has A’s in all of her classes including Advanced Math (99.36%) and Advanced ELA (97.73%). Her dedication to education and others is evident in everything she does. Given her exceptional leadership, citizenship and academic achievement, I believe Aubrey is deserving of this recognition.

--Mrs. Devin McCormick

October - Gadiel Alonso Tapia

Gadiel was the first student to pop up when it came to this nomination. He has shown me that he is trying his best to work his hardest to get good grades and he does so well communicating with me when he is struggling. His kind demeanor and sincere attitude has shown to be just one of the positive attributes contributing to his character. I have spoken to other teachers about his work and determination to do well considering the various barriers this year has brought on. I feel his area of achievement is within academic excellence based on his yearning to do well and his hard work can be shown through clarification questions and his work to just honestly do his best. Truly, a student that has proven to gain multiple achievements, both educationally and personally, through the start of this year.

Gadiel is an extremely respectful and responsible student. He reaches out to me when he has questions or is in need of help on assignments. He always attends our Google meets on time during the weeks that he is virtual. Gadiel is also very appreciative of help from staff members. Everytime that I work with him he thanks me for helping him. One day when we were on a Google meet with several other students, I thanked the students for their work that day. Gadiel said, “no, we should be thanking you for helping us.” He is a wonderful student to work with. 

--Mrs. Mercy Wilde

September - Emalee Pulver

Emalee is a student who never hesitates to go above and beyond both academically and in her leadership. This school year has brought with it a great deal of challenges, and Emalee has handled them with such grace. One of the challenges with learning virtually is having the confidence and ability to unmute and share with the class ~ and Emalee never hesitates to do so! She does such an exceptional job at sharing her ideas and explaining them to her peers whether in the classroom or at home. Additionally she does a great job of advocating for herself and others during class. She asks thoughtful questions that have truly benefited all members of the class. Her creativity and ideas fuel class discussions in any environment.

--Ms. Meaghan McGuire

Emalee has been an amazing WEB leader! She always shows up and brings a true leadership presence with her. Mrs. Kimball was able to witness Emalee tutoring a 6th grader in math (over a google meet) and was left in awe of how well Emalee interacted with the student. She listened and talked the student through the math problems; never giving the answers but leading the learner through the process. It was amazing to watch! She would be an amazing teacher some day!

--Mrs. Kimball

Emalee took guitar last year and is in the Ukulele class this year. She does a marvelous job and takes feedback and ideas for improvement seriously.  She practices diligently and my favorite thing is her smile at the end of each of her recordings.  She is kind, and respectful and makes me happy to be a teacher every time she is in my class whether in person or virtually.  

Mrs. Kvam

Emalee is a standout. Whether in class or virtual, she’s consistently engaged and willing to participate. She has risen to the challenges inherent in this year, and she deserves all the accolades. I’m lucky to have her in class. 

--Mrs. Schwartzlow 

Emalee is just absolutely lovely.  In Algebra she goes above and beyond not only on her work, but as a leader even within the virtual world!  She is willing to volunteer during class, and few students have a stronger work ethic than she does.  During my office hours, I can also count on Emalee to advocate for herself and log in to get the assistance that she may need on any math assignment! 

--Mrs. Bryson

February - Emma Tran

I want to share with you a quick story.  I was at a conference in Chicago last year, and they were talking about student leadership.  The speaker was talking about students who were “car-key” students. Let me explain:

“Emma Tran represents the best of MMS.  Her leadership, creativity, and work ethic shine in and outside the classroom.  One area that Emma succeeds at MMS is in our WEB Program. She is one of our strongest WEB Leaders; and she takes an active role in helping 6th graders make the transition from elementary to middle school.  Emma cares deeply about academics. In my classroom, she consistently exceeds expectations on homework, assignments, and projects. One of my favorite things about Emma is how willing she is to help others. We have had two new students from outside the district join our 4th hour Social Studies class.  Both times, I placed these new students next to Emma, knowing that she would help THEM succeed through her kindness, patience, and humor. Being student of the month means being involved outside the classroom, and Emma excels here. She is actively involved in the Musical and Play. In closing, Emma, congratulations on being recognized as Student of the Month.  I’m so proud of you, Emma. I can’t wait to watch you succeed.

--Mr. Jake Whitstone

January - Dominick Galyen

Dominick has matured so much over the last 3 years. He works hard in all his classes and he strives to be a great friend to his classmates. He also shows responsibility by helping Mr. Bristow in the cafeteria. He has such a great sense of humor and is so fun to have in class.

--Mrs. Laurie Martin

December - Christian "CJ" Schuh

C.J Shuh is such an awesome fellow. He is always smiling, always SO POLITE to me, positive and a joy to know that there are sweet, kind young fellows like him. I sure enjoy him at school and look forward to his smile every day.

--Mrs. Sandi Buol

November - Jacob Watson

The dictionary defines gratitude as, “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” The definition of selflessness as, “the act of doing something for others without expecting anything in return.” It is for these two primary reasons that I nominate Jake Watson for Lamp of Learning. He is a selfless, caring, silent leader who never expects anything, including recognition in return. In the classroom, at lunch, and as a web leader, he exceeds expectations in academic excellence, leadership and citizenship. He is a student who has not only helped me become a better teacher, but a better human being as well. Each day I see Jake be a role model for his peers. His participation in the classroom expands the learning of everyone else; and he enhances our ability to think critically about science. He brings a positive, hard-working, yet calm presence wherever he is and for these reasons I think he is a PERFECT fit for the lamp of learning award.

--Ms. Meaghan McGuire

October - Trinity Riley Ochsner    

I have had the pleasure to know Trinity over the past school year, and lucky enough to have her again this year :) Trinity is one of the most caring, compassionate, patient and hard-working individuals I have had the pleasure to meet. She is a silent leader in the classroom, in the community, and on the volleyball court. Her dedication to being her best self, and her positive attitude are contagious. Each day she greets those around her with a smile, and a sincere welcome. You can tell by how she listens and ‘carries’ herself that she is very aware of those around her and cares deeply for their best interest at heart. She is someone who continually strives to help those around her, and work to better her understanding of life. This has been strongly evident at lunch this year as she reaches out to support, comfort and be there for her classmates. This year she has also taken on the role of WEB leader, being a positive role model for the 6th graders in the building.

--Meaghan McGuire

September - Taylor Herbst

I would like to nominate Taylor Herbst for the Lamp of Learning Award.  He possesses character traits that are rarely seen in middle school students.  My work with Taylor has been primarily limited to his role as a WEB Leader where he has demonstrated leadership skills.  Taylor is actively engaged in the WEB program. I am amazed by his level of engagement as the coordinators work with the eighth-grade students.  His passion for assisting the sixth-grade students is apparent in the manner in which he conducts himself. It is apparent that he is eager to make an impact on the program and the sixth-grade class.  I also have the opportunity to witness his citizenship skills daily as an eighth-grade lunchroom/recess supervisor. As a lunchroom supervisor, Taylor has accepted the responsibility for leading the cleanup effort EVERY DAY.  This effort and authenticity are unique among middle school students.  Taking a quick glance at his grades, it is easy to see that he applies the same zeal to his academic pursuits.  Taylor’s genuine spirit make him an ideal candidate for the Lamp of Learning Award.

-- Brian Bruggeman