Sophia Serna, a senior in the class of 2025, was Manville High School’s Student of the Month for February! Sophia quoted, “This was a very shocking moment for me; I didn’t think it was true.”
On a sunny Monday morning on February 24, at about 11AM, Sophia was in anatomy class, sitting with her friend Sarah, when Ms. Galofaro picked up the phone and told Sophia that she needed to go to the office, but she didn’t know for what. On her way down, Sophia felt really nervous because she thought she was in trouble. but it was the complete opposite- when she got there, head principal Mr. Wright handed her a poster and said, “congratulations.”
Sophia is very grateful that she was given this award and for being recognized for all her hard work; she also would like to thank her friends, family, and Mr. Dressel for always being there and believing in her. Some of the things Sophia did to receive this award were to always listen and pay attention in class and also always trying her best in any school activity she does. After graduating Manville High School, Sophia plans on attending Rider University, majoring in Marketing for 4 years.
A “Student of the Month” is an award given to a student each month to recognize and celebrate their academic accomplishments. These accomplishments could be academics, character, leadership, or other positive contributions to the school community. The student of the month program is designed so that all juniors and seniors are eligible and any students can receive the award. This is essentially highlighting a student who is going above and beyond, embodying a well-rounded and responsible student persona. Receiving this award can boost students morale, promote positive school culture, and provide opportunities for feedback.
Being recognized publicly can provide a sense of accomplishment and motivate students to continue working hard. By highlighting certain students the school, we can emphasize values like respect, responsibility, and kindness. Teachers who contribute to selecting a “Student of the Month” provide detailed observations and evaluations of each student’s academic performance, behavior, citizenship, effort, and overall contributions to the classrooms, which are then used by school administration to determine the most deserving student. Teachers can use this as a chance to give specific positive feedback to students about their strengths and areas for improvement. They also assist scholars in setting goals and instilling in them a feeling of responsibility to put in more effort and accomplish more.
