KAhonors student participation on monthly basis
While academics are certainly important at Kemper Academy, Head of School Mary Ellen Waters stresses it is also important to recognize good behavior, citizenship, teamwork, community service, and school spirit.
One of the ways KA has been pushing those traits to the fore- front for the past four years is by recognizing students of the month for lower elementary, upper elementary, junior high, and high school. Two students (one boy and one girl) from each group are chosen from a list of nominations.
Being chosen student of the month will get some of the stu- dents much more than a high five. At the end of the Fall semester the names off all those honored will be put into a box and one boy and one girl from the elementary grades will be drawn out to win $50, as will one boy and one girl form the junior/high school grades. The same will be done at the end of the school year for those chosen in the Spring semester.
“On the elementary level it is based on behavior and general attitude,” Waters said. “We want you to be a happy, kind human being.” She said that on the junior high and high school level that citizenship also matters but attention is also paid to the students’ community involvement and school spirit.
She said the students are nominated by the teachers and that the awards are well received by the student body as a whole.
“I know that when the time of the month comes for the winners to be announced that everybody seems to get very interested. And when they find out who is chosen
they are cheering on their class- mates.”
Waters said one of the things she has begun doing is sharing with the students why they were nominated. “We think that is very encouraging,” she said. “Every- one likes to to know that some- body recognizes what they are doing well.”