Each month Santa Rosa Academy hosts a character assembly for all students K-12. These assemblies are used as a way for administrators to acknowledge student success and announce any current or upcoming school news. Student successes are acknowledged through the character or student of the month awards that are given to the students who demonstrated the best character traits of that month.
This month, 5 students from 5 different grades red track, freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior were awarded the Student of the Month award for those who demonstrated the best qualities, leadership, character, academic achievements, or improvement for that month. It’s an award that goes under very careful consideration by all members of the academic staff. Students will not even know they’ve won it until they hear their name announced at the assembly.
Charlotte Cabrera, the 9th Grade Student of the Month recipient, was quite shocked when she found out she won the award. “I was genuinely surprised that I got Student of the Month because I never get those. I wasn’t even paying attention and suddenly I just heard my name on the mic and I saw that I won the award.”
Charlotte is one of the 3 recipients who also participate in sports. Charlotte is a member of the Santa Rosa Academy Varsity Soccer team who enjoys art and writing. Her co-winners, Red-Track Winner/SRA Softball Player, Aleeza Dunn, and Senior Winner/Cheerleader, Audrey Pulver, all experience the hardships of staying on top of their academics along with the rigorous training. Each spoke about the importance of being organized and having self-discipline when it comes to schoolwork.
“I create a schedule and plan each week and follow it to a T. I schedule out when I do my schoolwork, softball, and other softball-related stuff, and stick to the schedule” stated Red-Track Winner, Aleeza Dunn.
“I balance my academic responsibilities with extracurricular activities by always making sure that there is always a healthy balance between the two. For myself personally, I feel that I am more productive and focused on my responsibilities with extracurriculars if I prioritize the task at hand and put my best foot forward with my academics,” said Senior Winner, Audrey Pulver.
Joshua Waddle, the Sophomore Student of the Month mentioned something similar, stating, “always having the ability to check what assignments I have yet to finish and which ones I still have to complete.”
However, it isn’t easy trying to be on top. Junior Winner, Reese Kimes spoke about his issues with procrastination. “Recently I had to write an essay, but the challenge wasn’t writing the essay itself, it was more the stress that came with it. I’m really prone to procrastination, and while I was procrastinating with this essay, I was stressing about the deadline. It sounds simple, but how I overcame the stress was just buckling down and starting the essay.” stated Kimes
When getting to talk more and more to these students, it was easy to see the dedication they had for their academics. However each spoke how without the support they had in their lives, from parents to friends to teachers, each motivated the students to succeed each more every single day.
*Reese Kimes & Joshua Waddle not photographed*
