Long before the applause came Friday, they were winners.
When times got tough, they persevered, overcoming physical or emotional or behavioral challenges to succeed in school, win the hearts of teachers, and earn the well-deserved spotlight they got Friday in Natomas Unified’s “Every Student Succeeding” ceremony.
Fourteen students were honored, including one who was orphaned when three family members died in a terrible car accident, another who instantly was rendered homeless when his house burned down, another whose severe illness required surgery that kept him out of school for eight weeks, another who had been frequently suspended and was headed toward expulsion before turning over a new leaf. Stories differed from student to student, but the hardships were gripping: foster care, learning disabilities, social-emotional needs, family dysfunction, immigration from Vietnam as a sixth-grader who couldn’t speak English.
Fast forward – and all 14 winners, one from each NUSD campus, are successes now in their classrooms and in their lives. “Every Student Succeeding” recognizes kids for achievements not always measured on report cards: Grit, determination and dedication to learning, for example, or for succeeding beyond expectations.
Superintendent Chris Evans says the “Every Student Succeeding” program proves one of Natomas Unified’s Board-adopted Core Beliefs, “Every student can learn and succeed.”
One ninth-grader, for example, was born deaf and has endured multiple surgeries, including cochlear implants to help her hear. Her condition made her different from peers, and she was bullied in her younger years. Now, school officials describe her as an “incredibly hard worker and beloved by the staff and students.” She’s the ninth-grade class president at her school, maintains a 4.0 gpa, serves as a school ambassador, plays school sports, and has created anti-bullying videos that have aired on campus.
A 12th-grade honoree has faced great instability in her living situation, staying with multiple caregivers while her parents have been in another country. Her primary language is not English. She entered high school with few resources to aid her studies. Now she’s earning an “A” in Advanced Placement English Composition and Literature this semester. She is in the top 10 of her class. She’s a peer mentor and a school athlete, competing in cross-country and track. Last spring, she was accepted into the UC Davis medical school program for high school students.
One sixth-grade winner has overcome a rocky home life that landed her in the foster care system – and forced her to move often. School officials say she’s determined to succeed and “comes every day with a great attitude and a smile on her face.” She’s now a member of the school’s leadership team, attends after-school meetings, and helps to set up all spirit events. She inspires us every day, school officials wrote, adding, “She sincerely is the reason we are all educators – for the honor of having young people like her in our lives.”
The 14 “Every Student Succeeding” winners were presented with plaques Friday in a ceremony at the NUSD Staff Development Center that was attended by family members, school principals, Supt. Evans, Board President Scott Dosick, and Trustees Sue Heredia and Teri Burns. The message was simple and poignant: We’re proud of you, very proud.
