We are happy to announce January's students of the month! Congratulations to these students, who were celebrated for their contributions to our school and community!
(Pictured from top to bottom: Ashley Hernandez-Mena, Tori Martin, Melinda McKinnon, Abigail Gentry, Markayla Sanford, Kaitlyn Smith, Jaylin Sullivan, JP Heater, and Principal Stephen Revard)
(Pictured left to right: Erik Gutierrez, Gabriel Self, and Conner Shuler)
Each month, teachers from each department at Cass High choose a Student of the Month for their content area. Plus, our Teacher and Staff Member of the Month both get to choose their own student as well, meaning we get to celebrate 11 Colonels each month!
These students are chosen not only for their hardwork and determination in the classroom, but also for encompassing what it means to Love Blue and Live Gold here at Cass High. We applaud these students, and want our community to join us in celebrating them and their achievement! Along with a certificate, they also receive a coupon for a free box lunch from our Magnet Program's Chick-fil-A Fundraiser!
Look below to find out more about about each student and the teacher who nominated them:
Gabriel Self- Fine Arts
Gabriel (Sophomore) was nominated by Mr. Samuel Iddings, the Cass High band director. “Gabriel has quickly become one of the hardest working and most selfless members of the Color Guard,” Mr. Iddings says. “He is always doing his job and does what is necessary to improve the entire Color Guard Program. Gabe is a leader in the activity and is kind in everything he does.”
Kaitlyn Smith- CTAE
Kaitlyn (Sophomore) was nominated by Mr. Craig Millsap, who teaches our Healthcare classes. Mr. Millsap says that Kaitlyn is an exemplary student, and that she always “goes above and beyond in everything she is asked to do” in her Healthcare pathway classes.
Erik Gutierrez- Mathematics
Erik (Junior) was nominated by Mrs. Tammy Ragus from our mathematics department. Erik took Mrs. Ragus’s Honors Algebra II course last semester, and she said that Erik is very deserving of this honor due to his “excellent work ethic” and the fact that “Erik gives 150% everyday.”
Ashley Hernandez-Mena- World Languages
Ashley (Sophomore) was nominated by Mrs. Lee Long, our Mandarin teacher in the World Languages department. Mrs. Long has been very impressed with Ashley’s improvement in her courses over the last two semesters, and believes that Ashley “is a hard-working student who is consistently focused and persistent in her learning.”
John Paul “JP” Heater- Social Studies
JP (Freshman) was nominated by Mrs. Christie Barnett, with whom JP took Honors Government last semester. Mrs. Barnett had this to say: “JP is an outstanding student and a joy to have in the classroom. He is always willing to participate and collaborate with his peers. His love for social studies is apparent, as he was always engaged and eager to share his knowledge and thoughts with the class.”
Victoria “Tori” Martin- Science
Tori (Junior) was nominated by Mr. David Rawlins, head of the Science Department at Cass High. Tori was in Mr. Rawlins Honors Physics course last semester, and has left a lasting impression with her astounding work ethic. According to Mr. Rawlins, although Tori consistently does well in the class, she is always “working hard and striving to improve.”
Abigail Gentry- Staff Member of the Month
Abigail (Senior) was chosen by our Staff Member of the Month for January, Mrs. Lori Kendrick! Mrs. Kendrick is in charge of attendance at Cass High, and she says that her days are always better whenever she gets a visit from Abigail! “She is always cheerful and helpful,” explains Mrs. Kendrick. “She has overcome so much, and while she has every right to be disgruntled, Abigail always perseveres with a level of positivity to which we should all aspire!”
Conner Shuler- Teacher of the Month
Conner (Senior) was selected to be Student of the Month by our Teacher of the Month, Mrs. Deanna Boughton, our Work-Based Learning Coordinator at Cass High. Conner is a WBL student intern who works at Shaw, Plant 15 through the Great Promise Partnership program. Mrs. Boughton describes Conner as being “respectful” and “hard-working,” and says that he “always helps his peers and takes initiative.”
Melinda McKinnon- English
Melinda (Junior) was nominated by Mrs. Ashley Hogsed. When asked who she would like to name as Student of the Month, Mrs. Hogsed immediately knew she wanted to choose Melinda. “She is a dedicated, hardworking student, who comes to class everyday prepared to learn, participate, and demonstrate her knowledge.”
Jaylin Sullivan- Exceptional Education
Jaylin (Senior) was nominated by Mr. Howard Hauger from our Exceptional Education department. Mr. Hauger says that “Jaylin does an excellent job in the classroom and on the job site. He is a great role model for peers in the classroom and community. He’s going to be graduating this year, then going into Project Search in the Fall.” We are all incredibly proud of Jaylin and his accomplishments!
Markayla Sanford- Physical Education
Markayla (Freshman) was the obvious choice to be Student of the Month for the Physical Education department, according to Coach Taylor Washington. Coach Washington says that Markayla pushes herself and her classmates to always make their best even better, and says that Markayla always “shows up,” ready to put forth 100% effort every single day.