SeDoMoCha recognizes student perseverance

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The SeDoMoCha School hosted a special assembly on March 30 to recognize students in kindergarten through grade 8 who demonstrate perseverance as the month’s Student in the Spotlight honorees.

A student from each grade was selected by teachers, along with another chosen by the kindergarten through grade 4 unified arts team and one selected for library and physical education.

Teachers shared remarks about their students before calling them to the podium to receive a certificate, gift certificate to the school store and round of applause from an audience filled with students, staff and proud family members.

Honorees are kindergartener Orion-Rose Wing, first grader Sibelius Hefferan, second grader Casen Butts, third grader Sagan Hefferen, fourth grader Sawyer Donahue, fifth grader Drake Parker, sixth grader Jocelyn Merrill, seventh grader Laureli Peterson, eighth grader Sariah Martin, library student Annie Moulton and physical education student Anthony Federico.

Families received notice of the event, but were asked to keep the recognition a surprise — making for a heartwarming and joyful reactions and well-deserved celebration. Each teachers’ heartfelt words described the ways students demonstrate kindness and empathy.

The event concluded with enthusiastic applause and smiles all around as the school community celebrated.

SeDoMoCha recognizes students throughout the school year for demonstrating Habits of the Mind.

Kindergarten teacher Allison Slagle said, “Perseverance is the act of never giving up despite running into difficulty or delay in achieving success. It means even when you don’t get something right the first time, you keep trying to succeed. When I saw our theme for this month’s Student in the Spotlight was perseverance, one student immediately came to mind. This student is hard working, dedicated to her learning and never gives up even when she encounters a challenge. She tackles every task with a positive attitude, asks for help when she needs it, and uses all of the tools provided to her to support her learning. I am so proud to be this student’s teacher.”

Grade 1 teacher Amelia Patterson said, “Immediately we had a student in mind. This first grader has faced many challenges in and out of the classroom, but has handled each one with grace and resilience. When things feel overwhelming or hard, she recognizes her needs, finds ways to meet them and is able to push herself forward in her learning. She works hard to meet her goals and never gives up. I am so proud of how she advocates for herself and makes sure that she is an active participant even on days when it feels like nothing is going right. She is always positive and such a light in our classroom!”

“In my classroom I feel so lucky to see hard work happening every day from so many learners,” grade 2 teacher Abigail Ziegra-Recker said. “However, one student came to mind right away when I thought about perseverance. Casen works so hard everyday. He stays focused on his work in the classroom and asks thoughtful questions when he’s not sure what he needs to do. Once he’s working, Casen takes his time to make sure his work really reflects everything he knows. When Casen is faced with something that pushes his brain, he does not ask for help right away. He bravely explores what he can do on his own and gives it several tries, before asking for a teacher’s support. Beyond his work as a learner, Casen is also perseverant as a friend. This might sound like a silly thing to say, but what I mean is that, just like he never gives up on his school jobs, he also never gives up on his peers. He is reliable, supportive, and encouraging to anyone in our classroom looking for a friend. When someone is having a hard time, I know I can count on Casen to be one of the first to offer a hug or encouraging word. Thank you for being such a powerful and perseverant leader in our classroom.”

Grade 3 teacher Alanna Wilson said, “This month’s Student in the Spotlight was an easy decision, coming right to mind when thinking about perseverance. When things get overwhelming or off track, this kiddo puts noticeable effort into remaining positive and upbeat, often uplifting others around him in the process. Earlier this school year he was very excited to audition for the school play but when he actually got the part and had to start rehearsing, he started to get nervous. We talked it out and he stuck with it and ended up doing an amazing job. I’m so very proud of all your hard work and perseverance.”

“The student the fourth grade team selected for Student in the Spotlight shows perseverance when he chooses goals that are realistic but challenging and checks his progress regularly,” Judy Lewis said. “This student continues to try, and learns and improves even when challenges feel difficult.  We have also observed an increase in confidence and improved problem solving skills.  This student has developed a growth mindset that will serve him well throughout his life.”

Grade 5 teacher Danica Constantine said, “Perseverance is the power to keep going, even when things feel difficult. It means not giving up when you make a mistake, when something takes longer than expected, or when you feel frustrated. Every student faces challenges. Maybe it’s a tough math problem, a long reading assignment, or learning a new skill in sports or music. At first, these things can feel impossible. You might think ‘I can’t do this.’ But perseverance means saying, ‘I can’t do this…yet.’ The fifth grade student we have chosen does this every day. When things are hard for him, he asks for help and then pushes himself to do his very best. You can often find him with his hand raised, checking in and making sure that he is showing what he knows in every assignment. We, teachers, have watched him grow throughout this year to be a student who pushes himself in each assignment and knows that he has the potential to do great things!”

Grade 6 teacher Emily Brown said, “Perseverance is a word that is not used enough. We celebrate talent, abilities, achievements and not often enough do we recognize how hard someone truly had to work to get there. For some it may come easily, for others they may choose not to take the hard route, but the real achievement is in overcoming obstacles and difficulties. The student that the sixth grade would like to recognize this month has a deep understanding of what it means to work hard and put in the effort each and every day. She does so with a smile, with an inquisitive mindset, and with a whole lot of grit. I rarely have known someone to be such a kind, yet iron-willed person at such a young age.”

“We have heard what the definition of perseverance is today, doing something even though it is hard, continuing to try, and hard work,” grade 7 teacher Theresa Makowski said. “And, as any of my students will tell you, seventh grade is hard. So, how do you choose one person who exemplifies the characteristics of perseverance? You look for someone who continuously strives to do their best work, even when it doesn’t come easily for them. You look for someone who practices and keeps trying to make themselves better. You look for someone who can take feedback and use it to make themselves better. My classroom is full of students like this. But there is one student whose determination and perseverance has stood out among all of our diamonds in the rough. She works hard on all of her assignments, asking questions to make sure she understands it, advocating for additional work time if she needs it to make sure she is giving it her best effort. When she misses class for band, she makes sure she is checking in with her teachers to understand the lessons she missed. She listens to the feedback her teacher gives on assignments and uses that feedback to make her next assignment that much better. She is an example to peers and staff of what perseverance looks like.”

Grade 8 teacher Jonathan Dumont said, “Success is often measured by achievements, grades or awards, which are important, of course, but what we’re honoring today goes deeper than that. We’re recognizing perseverance, determination and ‘sticktuitiveness’, which research shows is one of the most important traits a young person can have on their educational journey and in their future career. As our eight graders prepare for Foxcroft Academy, their ability to keep going when things feel difficult, their courage to try again after a setback and the strength to believe that progress is possible with hard work even when it’s slow going will be a major component of their success. This month’s honoree has shown us that perseverance isn’t about never struggling, it’s about refusing to give up. It’s about showing up, putting in the work and growing step by step. Even when the work feels difficult, this student keeps trying. When something doesn’t make sense right away, she doesn’t quit. She slows down, works through it step by step, and pushes forward. That kind of determination is rare, and it is something every one of us can learn from. Walk into our classrooms on any given day, and you will see it for yourself. While the world around her buzzes with distraction, she is focused. On task. Locked in on whatever the goal of the moment is. She is not easily pulled away by the noise around her — she knows what she is there to do, and she does it. Her journey is a reminder to all of us that resilience builds character, and that effort shapes success. Today, we celebrate not just what they’ve accomplished and the progress they’ve made in their educational journey during middle school, but also the determination that drove that success.”

“Perseverance is hard work—but in PE, it’s more than that,” teacher Kasey Bevis said. “When your body is moving, your brain is working just as hard. Every jump, every dribble, every try — you are literally training your brain to get better. And that’s what makes you stand out. When something doesn’t come easy, you don’t give up. This year, you’ve done the opposite, you double down. You practice more. You try again. You keep going. What I love most is how you do it with a smile on your face. You’ve learned how to enjoy the struggle, and that is something really special. I am so proud of the effort you bring every single day.”

Librarian Carolyn Clark said, “When I used to go on long bike rides as a young teen to work at Stutzman’s Farms, there was this huge hill my brothers and sisters would need to peddle up in order to make it back to our house. I would look at each telephone pole on the way up this huge hill and say to myself, ‘I think I can, I think I can.’ At times, I had to walk, but I kept moving forward, knowing that I would eventually get home. It was easy to select this student who continues to persevere and show up each day with an ‘I think I can’ attitude. I have loved watching this student persevere during her years at SeDoMoCha. She is quiet and thoughtful. If confused about a topic, she waits until after class to ask questions for clarification, and she stays with the topic until she has a good understanding. People who persevere keep going even when something feels difficult — they ask questions, learn from mistakes and don’t give up.”

Principal Cameron Archer presented the March Staff in the Spotlight honor.

“We recognize staff who excel in using effective questioning to promote clarity across our SeDoMoCha community,” he said. “Thoughtful questioning is essential to growth. It drives self-reflection, deepens understanding and helps us continuously improve our practice.”

Nominees were grade 2 Roxanne Chadwick; Special Services Administrative Assistant Katie Day; grade 5 ELA Heidi Hall; and grade 4 Danelle Bozzeli.

“Our staff member this month not only seeks clarity through questioning, but does so in a way that drives meaningful, positive change,” Archer said. “She leads by example, consistently using thoughtful, purposeful questions that promote deeper understanding. She not only models effective questioning herself, but also encourages her students to do so and to think critically through rich discussion in the classroom. During her lessons, you will see students actively engaged as she poses questions that push their thinking, promote higher-level understanding and challenge them to go beyond surface level responses. Her approach to questioning is something we can all learn from as we continue to grow our practice. Congrats to this month’s staff in the spotlight winner, Mrs. Heidi Hall.”