Students celebrate first-semester success!

Heart of the Tiger Award Winners — front, from left: Diedrick Sorenson (3), Taya Beyer (2), Erik Davis (1), and Olivia Sprenger (K).   Back: Cole Hayden (6), Madison Wester (5), and Kiera Lafferty (4).

A video of students proclaiming, “Thank You, Springfield,” over and over again, played on the big screen in the auditorium at Springfield Public Schools the afternoon of December 22 as students entered for the celebration of the first semester of the 2015-‘16 academic year.  As they celebrated success for the first half of the school year, they  acknowledged community that provides support for their education.

Students learned the meaning of words: loyalty, honor, duty, trust, poise, potential, joy and pride; and during the program students provided examples in their own stories about in-school happenings. 

Tiger tickets are issued by school staff who see students doing positive things, such as showing kindness, doing favors, going above and beyond . . . anything that deserves a positive recognition.   During the past semester 1,500 Tiger Tickets were issued.  The Tiger Tickets were placed in a receptacle from which names were drawn for gifts.  More than 50 prizes valued at more than $600 were awarded at the end-of-semester celebration last week.

Principal Jeff Kuehn announced the winners of Heart of the Tiger Awards.  Seven students — one each from grades K-6 — were recognized for most tickets.  Earning Heart of the Tiger awards were Olivia Sprenger, kindergarten; Erik Davis, first-grade; Taya Beyer, second-grade; Diedrick Sorenson, third-grade; Kiera Lafferty, fourth-grade; Madison Wester, fifth-grade; and Cole Hayden, sixth-grade.