Dresden Middle Restarts Leadership Recognition
Responsibility was the focus of Dresden Middle School’s Leader of the Month program. (L to R) Scarlett Hart, Millie Kemp, Tess Ogg, Lilli Nelson, Dalton Hoy and Carter Oliver received recognition on Thursday. Bruce Willis and John Paul Oliver are not pictured but were also acknowledged.
BY KAREN CAMPBELL
Weakley County Schools Communications Director
DRESDEN (September 2) – Dresden Middle School students who have proven to be particularly responsible were recognized at a school assembly that included their family members and a brief reception afterwards.
Leader of the Month events had been previously combined into an annual celebration. Then the pandemic cancelled all large gatherings last year. On Thursday, Dresden Middle students saw the return of the leadership recognition as they socially distanced in the gym.
The plan is for 5th through 8th graders who embody the selected pillar of the “Character Counts!” program to be recognized each month of the school year.
Jamie Rickman, school counselor and organizer of the event, said the first emphasis was on responsibility. “These students were selected because they can always be counted on to be prepared, have their supplies, complete their work and assist others as needed,” she noted.
The honorees were Scarlett Hart and Dalton Hoy from 5th grade; Tess Ogg and Carter Oliver from 6th grade; Millie Kemp and Bruce Willis from 7th grade; and Lilli Nelson and John Paul Oliver from 8th grade.
Rickman explained that any staff member can nominate a student. Each grade level has a committee of teachers who decide on the students who will be recognized.
In the upcoming months, students will be recognized for respect, trustworthiness, caring, perseverance, citizenship, and fairness. Rickman pointed out that while perseverance is not a standard pillar in the character-building program, DMS wanted to add it as a characteristic to encourage.
Principal David Lewellen emceed the proceedings.
“We have a great group of students,” he said. “There are many leaders walking our hallways. This program is a way to recognize them as well as be a positive reinforcement to our student body.”
