Middle school STARS students recognized by school board

At the Bellefonte Area school board meeting January 25, a group of Bellefonte Area Middle School students were recognized through a program they were nominated for called STARS – Students Taking A Right Stand.

Principal Sommer Garman said that about nine years ago, a group of middle school teachers approached her about starting the program to recognize the incredible work students do every day. Each month, students from each grade – one student per team – are nominated by their team of teachers and specials teachers for being “exemplary students.”

“They are just students who have stood out for one reason or another to their team of teachers, and it’s been a long time since we’ve been able to bring them here, and celebrate them and honor them in front of the board and their families,” Garman said.

Board President Jeff Steiner said recognizing students from across the district is something the board regularly plans to do at its meetings throughout the school year.

“This is just really great because it’s been a long darn time since we’ve been able to have students here with us,” he said. In December, the high school’s quintet was invited to play a miniconcert for the board.

At the January meeting, that group of STARS students from the first half of the school year were called to the podium as Garman and Vice Principal Joe Eckenroth read accolades about them. In addition, those students are rewarded with various gifts from school and community donations. The final semester’s students will be recognized in a similar fashion at the end of the school year.