Fifth graders were recognized today for academic and athletic achievement and participation in activities.
On behalf of the Daughters of the American Revolution, first grade teacher and social studies chair Merrill Levine presented the DAR Citizenship Award to Khadeeja Agha and the DAR History Award to Max Hickman. Both awards are determined by essays written by fifth graders. In the history essay, students wrote about what changes occurred because of the wars they studied this year. In the citizenship essay, students described the traits of a good citizen and provided examples from their own experience.
Erin Worthington ’95, granddaughter of the late sixth grade teacher Helen Murray, presented the Helen C. Murray Geography Award to John O’Brien. Mrs. Murray taught at Bright School from 1979 to 1998. The award is based on a student’s knowledge of geographical facts and terms. Honorable mentions went to Max Hickman and Isabella Moore.
Austin Center ’85 presented the Center Community Service Award, named for the Center family with four siblings who attended Bright School, to Leya Alani and Isabella Moore. Leya visited residents at retirement homes, sang Christmas carols with the Bright School Choir at McKamey Animal Center and had a bake sale to raise money to support the education of children in Africa. After the hurricanes this fall, she helped deliver diapers to people in Houston affected by the flood. Her family also hosted a family that fled Orlando during the hurricane. Isabella organized the “Pause for Paws” community service project last fall. She partnered with the Chattanooga Humane Educational Society and the Riverview Animal Hospital to collect dog and cat collars, toys, leashes and other pet items at school. Bright School students donated nearly 600 items for the collection. In addition, Isabella volunteers weekly at her church as an assistant in the 4- and 5-year-old Sunday school class and volunteered last summer at Vacation Bible School and in the Bright School Library.
Mary Kilbride presented the Benjamin W. Kilbride Scholarship, which is awarded to a fourth grader who is a leader, takes and shows interest in other students throughout the school, exhibits contagious enthusiasm for life and is in good standing. This year’s winner is Mac Kropff.
Eighteen fifth graders received the President’s Award for Educational Excellence, which means they achieved a 90 or higher grade average and high scores on national standardized testing. The recipients are: Khadeeja Agha, Henry Clark, Emma Davenport, Ava Gallien, Charlie Good, Luciana Hemphill, Max Hickman, Strobe Hill, Nathaniel Johnston, Grace Macziewski, Bruna Monteiro, Isabella Moore, Layli Nunes, John O'Brien, Kai Olson, Gabriel Onoratini, Colin Sanders and Evan Yim.
Sra. Cindy Avendano recognized seven fifth graders for participating in advanced Spanish: Bruna Monteiro, Gabriel Onoratini, Andrew Hutcherson, Layli Nunes, Reese Jones, Max Hickman, Kennedy Doan and Preston Klein.
