submitted by Judy Frost, Public Information Specialist, Hoosick Falls Central School District
Hundreds of Hoosick Falls Jr./Sr. High School students were recognized during an awards ceremony on Friday, February 27, for academic growth and performance at the midway point of the 2014-15 school year.
As part of his administrative internship, high school math teacher Bill Clairmont was tasked with organizing the awards ceremony, which recognized a significant number of students.
“We haven’t done midyear awards on this scale before,” he said. “This ceremony recognizes the achievements of individual students from each grade level 7-12, which makes this event bigger than any other like it we have had in the past.”
More than 200 students from grades 7-12 received awards for either increasing their overall highest quarterly average from the first to second quarter or for achieving a 10 point increase in a single course or courses between the first and second marking periods.
In the meantime, approximately one hundred students received merit awards in one or more of the following categories:
• scoring an 85 or higher on a January 2015 Regents exam;
• maintaining an overall 90 or better average based on first and second quarter grades and midterm exam, or
• earning the highest midterm exam score for courses offering a midterm.
High school senior Andrew Hoag was one of 43 students recognized for achieving mastery on a Regents exam after scoring an 86 on the Algebra 2/Trigonometry Regents. Although Andrew was unsuccessful the first time he took the exam, he credits the school and his teachers for helping him succeed the second time.
“After not doing very well the first time, I worked on it all summer,” he said. “The school offers a review class during the year to prepare students to retake the exam. I think that is pretty awesome of the school to do that. It shows they really care about students.”
Andrew also increased his grade in Economics by more than 10 points during the second marking period. When asked what the awards mean to him, he again praised his teachers. “Honestly, these awards are as much about the teachers as they are about me. I wouldn’t have been able to achieve these awards without my teachers, and I thank them for that.”
Of the five awards sophomore Emma Ganger-Spivak earned, two were for scoring the highest on midterm exams in English and Earth Science. Emma said that while she invests a lot of time on schoolwork, for her, it’s not about the awards.
“As much as I appreciate the recognition, it’s not why I put in the effort. It doesn’t change how hard I work. It’s not the awards or your class ranking that matter,” she said, “the most important part is being interested in the material and being committed to doing your best.”
Tenth-grader Dawson Bevis received three awards – including one for maintaining an overall average of 90 or higher – outstanding for a student who admits he hasn’t always been so interested in school. Dawson, who plays trombone in the Jazz Band and has received awards for music, said that it’s rewarding to be recognized for academic achievement.
“I do everything differently than I used to,” he said. “I do my homework now and pay more attention in class because I want to do better.”
Junior McKenzie Bradley received four awards. She excels at her favorite subject, English, but admits she sometimes struggles with math and science.
“I stay after a lot to get extra help from teachers and do my homework after school or during study halls so that I can ask questions,” she said. “I like to get my homework done right away so that I don’t have to stress about it.”
She encourages other students to ask for help if they need it. “At first I was nervous to ask for help, but I think teachers like when you ask questions,” McKenzie said. “The time I spend getting help from teachers after school has really helped me understand math and science better.”
Ninth-grader Drew Hoag received an award for maintaining an overall average of 91 throughout the first two marking periods and shared his secrets for success, “I pay attention to what the teachers are saying in class, I take notes, and I study!”
In addition to certificates, all award winners received vouchers for free snacks from the school cafeteria.