BARNEGAT – A recent Board of Education meeting awarded the first six student “upstanders” as part of the new district-wide initiative under superintendent Dr. Brian Latwis.
One student from each of the district’s schools is chosen each month and honored at the monthly meeting for demonstrating upstanding qualities in the classroom. Each student receives a plaque and a gift card from a local restaurant.
This month was sponsored by Dolce Bagels on West Bay Avenue. They supplied the district with $300 worth of gift cards for the upstanders, $50 for each student.
September’s upstanders are:
- Molly Ryan. Cecil S. Collins Elementary, Grade 5
- Julia Becker, Joseph T. Donahue Elementary, Grade 4
- Michael Buono, Lillian M. Dunfee Elementary, Kindergarten
- Carson Abbato, Robert L. Horbelt Elementary, Grade 4
- Christopher Dringus, Russell O. Brackman Middle School, Grade 6
- Madison Payer, Barnegat High School, Grade 12
The upstander initiative not only awards students for kind behavior, but it also encourages family togetherness by giving out gift cards to local restaurants where families can eat and spend time together, according to district officials.
