Our school has had the tradition of choosing two students of the month for many years. Each month a different department selects two students to receive this honor.

The different academic departments get their own set month in which they can choose their student winners. According to school guidance counselor Jacqueline Randall, “Academic departments choose Students of the Month to highlight students who are doing well in a particular subject area.”

Each student can only be chosen once. However, when chosen, they are recognized on the morning announcements and in the local newspaper. Randall also said, “Students are encouraged to include this achievement in their college applications.”

This past November it was the English department’s turn to choose their students of the month. The winners were seniors Mackenzie DeVita and Madelyn Miller, chosen by English teachers Sarah Buttiens and Ed Smith.

When asked why she chose DeVita, Buttiens said: “Mackenzie consistently has interesting observations and ideas to offer in class, and she also writes complex and interesting essays that make the reader think and ponder an idea in more depth. She’s a friendly student who seems to always bring her best to our class every day.”

Only seniors can be chosen for student of the month. Buttiens also gave her specific criteria when choosing as she has chosen multiple times, “Being a senior teacher, my custom is to choose an AP student who has the highest overall grade in my class. That always seemed like the most fair way to choose an outstanding student, as I love all my kids, so to be objective, I go with grades as the deciding factor.”

When asked why he chose Miller, Smith said: “Madelyn Miller has shown that she is dedicated to mastering concepts big and small–from content and focus to style and conventions. Maddie works collaboratively and enthusiastically to improve herself as a writer.”

Smith has his own criteria not much different from Buttiens’, he stated, “As a teacher of English Comp. 101, a dual enrollment that is designed for seniors and that is weighted at 1.3, it would make good sense for students to be recommended from this course. Criteria for selection include the student’s grade to date as well as his or her level of participation in class activities and discussion.”

It is clear from his decisions and choice of words that he truly believes Miller was deserving of this award. Smith included the fact that Miller, “is an active, engaged learner in class, regularly asking and answering questions on topics ranging from usage to content. It’s for all of these reasons together that the English Department chose Maddie Miller.”  

DeVita was pleasantly surprised by her accomplishment and saw this as a good indication that she was doing well in her English class. When asked if she had ever thought of receiving this title prior to her winning DeVita said, “Honestly I never really paid much thought to it, and that’s what added to my surprise. I know that I do well in school but I didn’t think I was able to do that well.”

Miller was excited about her achievement as well. However, she also stated that she “felt kind of undeserving to have received the award.”

Like Devita, winning this award was not on Miller’s mind, “I never thought about it too much. I always noticed the students of the month on the cover of the Delta Star when it was laying on the counter at home and the possibility of it always seemed so distant since they are always seniors.”

Neither student used this award as a motivator to do well in school. They both made statements about academics coming first and rewards coming later. In all, both girls said they tried their best and the rewards that came with it were just extra benefits.

Along with the certificate and recognition at school both girls got other rewards. Miller stated that she, “received a certificate from the school principal and department chair, as well as an invitation to a dinner with the Stewartstown Lion’s Club where they presented me with another certificate and a $100 check.”