SeDoMoCha recognizes Student in the Spotlight honorees

DOVER-FOXCROFT — On Dec. 20 The SeDoMoCha Schools held its monthly Student in the Spotlight celebration to recognize 11 students who exemplify the quality of self-control.

Lance Timberlake, grade 7 teacher, described self-control by sharing, “This virtue, though often under-appreciated, is truly the foundation for personal growth, resilience, and long-term success. Self-control is not just about resisting temptation in the moment, it’s about choosing the better path when it’s the hardest choice. It’s about the discipline to stay focused on long-term goals, even when the short-term rewards seem more appealing. It’s about saying no when it’s easy to say yes, and sticking to your principles when the world around you might suggest otherwise. However, self-control is not just about restraint, it’s also about consistency. It’s about making the right choices every day, no matter how small, to build a life of integrity and success. It’s about showing up, putting in the work, and being patient with the process, even when immediate results are not visible. And today, we celebrate how (these individuals have) done just that, day after day. Today’s (recipients have) shown time and time again the strength to manage their impulses, maintain composure under pressure, and rise above distractions. Their ability to stay calm, focused, and purposeful in even the most challenging circumstances is truly impressive. Whether it’s in their interactions with peers, their academic endeavors, or their overall nonchalant demeanor, they have demonstrated a level of self-control that sets them apart.” 

Students recognized by each grade level or by their unified arts teachers were as follows: kindergarten: Joey Ary, grade 1: Gracelynn Hall, grade 2: Lily Larrabee, grade 3: Reed Tapley, elementary unified arts: Knox Witham, grade 4: Annabelle Manuel, grade 5: Eliza Cary, grade 6: Natalie Cannon, grade 7: Lelah Huntley, grade 8: Alexis Ames, and middle school unified arts: Ellie Jones. 

In addition to recognizing the hard work of our students, SeDoMoCha administration team members chose to recognize a few of the many staff members who demonstrate a growth mindset in our building. A growth mindset is the belief that abilities, intelligence, and talents can be developed through effort, dedication, and a willingness to learn. Teachers with a growth mindset: 

Embrace challenges; learn from feedback; persist in the face of setbacks; view effort as a path to mastery; find inspiration in the success of others; are more likely to embrace lifelong learning develop resilience, the ability to recover from and move through difficult situations; thrive in today’s rapidly changing educational landscape; possess a love of learning; and push themselves out of their comfort zone.

Four nominees were recognized. Each nominee will have a special parking spot for the next month. Nominees were; grade 5 science teacher Madi Speed, grade 1 teacher Makenzie Sands, grade 6 ELA teacher Alexis Dumont, and PKCEP Site Coordinator Kadelyn McCarty. McCarty was recognized as the overall winner. 

Davan Walker, SeDoMoCha assistant principal shared, “The individual we chose to recognize for Growth Mindset is the epitome of an innovative thinking partner. She has taken on her new role in full stride and is an invaluable asset to our entire school district. She balances the daily responsibilities of attendance, grading, assessment data, enrollment, and creating more spreadsheets than I ever knew could possibly exist, all while additionally managing students and staff at our 572 building as well. Her hard working approach to her job is contagious and her growth and solution oriented mindset always comes with a smile on her face. I cannot express my appreciation for how willing this individual is to help and support our students, our staff, our administration, and our community. With that, it is my honor to recognize Mrs. McCarty for this month’s Staff in the Spotlight.”