A success story loomed behind every award plaque handed out Friday as students from Natomas Unified School District campuses were honored for not giving up when times got tough and for overcoming hardship or achieving beyond all expectations.
Applause was loud, smiles wide, accounts of the students’ personal stories were gripping and the message sent to them by spectators was universal – we’re proud of you – at NUSD’s “Every Student Succeeding” ceremony.
“These are students who have turned their lives around or overcome long odds and are now on the path to success,” Superintendent Chris Evans said. “They’re an inspiration to all of us, and they exemplify our Board-adopted Core Belief that, ‘Every Student Can Learn and Succeed.’”
Winners from each of NUSD’s 13 district-operated campuses were introduced, one by one, for formal recognition by family, by Trustees Sue Heredia, Teri Burns, Scott Dosick and Lisa Kaplan, and by principals, Evans and other district officials.
Honorees included a teenager who struggled after the tragic loss of his mother. An elementary school student who fights memory problems. A student with a history of significant behavioral issues. Other kids wrestling with anemia, or anxiety, or a severe medical condition requiring ongoing treatments.
Behind the scenes, staff reveled in the successes, partly because many of the students’ stories spotlighted caring school officials or aides who reached out to inspire or guide the child onto a path toward success -- by mentoring, tutoring, listening, or simply providing comfort and encouragement in time of need or stress.
Results have been amazing: One middle school student, for example, raised his grade point average from roughly a “D” to nearly straight “A’s” – a 3.8 – in just one year. Doug Orr, district Director of School Leadership and Support, introduced the boy at Friday’s ceremony by saying he “realizes the legacy that he can provide for his family” and “wants to help set a good example for his siblings while making his family proud.”
Orr also described other honorees in glowing terms, including:
- “To be so young and go through so much and still remain happy, nice, and positive sets an amazing example for all of us.”
- She “is driven to create success for herself and is able to fend off negative influences and distractions.”
- His “ability to self-assess his decisions and ability to use better judgment in difficult and trying situations has made him mature into a model student, friend and leader.”
- He “is on his way to showing the world he is a lifelong learner and a leader.”
One of the most touching stories involved an elementary school student who “once struggled in all academic areas” and “shut down both at school and at home.” He now “works independently, is meeting grade-level standards in all areas and can be seen holding the door open for others and interacting with his peer group around campus.”
Orr introduced the boy by saying, “At a recent meeting when asked about concerns, his mother stated ‘it was the first time she didn’t have any because he was doing so well.’ Orr concluded by saying the boy “has overcome many obstacles along his path and has persevered in every way. He is determined to continue on his educational journey.”
