Washington Primary School Principal Marsha Neville was just as happy as all the honorees when the veteran educator presented dozens of students with a pair of coveted awards one recent afternoon.
March’s Washington Ways Award recipients and April’s Featured Artists were recognized. Mrs. Neville asked teachers to bring their classes into the hallways and line each side. She then announced the names of the award winners one by one and their classmates applauded as the youngsters made their way down to the main lobby.
The Washington Ways Award honorees included Osael Bonilla Ulloa, Lesli Aparicio, Andy Bonilla-Ortez, Aiyanna Petro-Young, Dayana Cruz, Ashlin Perez, Spencer Sturges, Armaan Malik, Marilyn Mendoza Virula, Kayli Velasquez, Colby Curran, Sophia Fiore, Dago Garcia, Ashley Alexis, Andy Flores, Bruce Lopez Barahona, Ninalee Davis, Madelin Vanegas, Nicholas Plachta, Kyra Scott and Ayrianna Smith.
The entire classes of teachers Wendy Bonilla and Suzy Dinehart were recognized as March’s Blue Ticket Award honorees.
Here’s how the Washington Ways program works:
White tickets are awarded weekly for good behaviors and actions in the classroom. White ticket winners are honored with special recognition in their classroom at the end of each week and their names are announced every Monday morning.
Red tickets are presented to individuals for notable good behavior outside of classrooms, including in hallways, buses, the playground and cafeteria, etc. At the end of the month, the student in each class with the greatest number of red tickets is recognized with a special certificate.
Entire classes can earn blue tickets for positive group behavior out-of-the-classroom. Blue tickets are also awarded to the two classes within the building with the most tickets overall.
Featured Artists of the Month
April’s Featured Artists are a very talented group. Their artwork is now on display in the school’s main hallway near the cafeteria.The students are in classes taught by art teachers Maria Mazzola and Karen Morea.
Washington’s Featured Artists include Samantha Martinez, Kimberly Ochoa Rios, Addison Delfino, Nirjhor Rahman, Aubrie Godin, Milton Maldonado, Dana Avila Justo, Connor DiBenedetto, Heileen Torres, Henry Santos, Anthony Addeo, Nicolas Francis, Dana Gonzalez Ramirez, Amber Murtaza, Samantha Jimenez Acosta, Daniel Stabile, Adrianna Jemison and Eduardo Chavez Merlos.
“Recognizing these outstanding youngsters is truly a joy,” Mrs. Neville said. “It’s really heartwarming to hear every student in the school clapping for our honorees and they walk down to receive their certificate. Washington is a special place and our students know it.”
