Despite the common recognition for academics, Mira Costa acknowledges students for their achievements above and beyond a GPA. One example of this, is the PTSA, Parent Teacher Student Association, Student Recognition award.
This years PTSA Student Recognition Award Ceremony was on May 12th in the College Career Center. The awards were announced by Costa Principal Ben Dale. He read a summary of what each teacher said about the student who won and why they won. Then, each awarded student received a certificate with their names on it and a ten dollar iTunes gift card.
“It was an honor to be at the PTSA student recognition award ceremony,” Dale said. “I love this award because it is less about the grade and more about who the student is in the classroom.”
This year 25 students were given the PTSA Student Recognition Award. A parent that attended the ceremony Marianne Feld, feels as though this reward should be given to students who go above and beyond to be properly recognized.
“I am very thankful that my teacher went out of his way to nominate me for this award, it was a very nice thing to do and I am thankful,” sophomore award recipient Kit Chavers said.
Teachers have been nominating their top performing students for the PTSA Student Recognition award since 1986. The PTSA award is given out three times a year. However, students can be nominated and win the award more than once. Beginning in August, through September, teachers begin looking for the students they want to nominate for the January PTSA award. From January through February, teachers will choose the top performing student for the March award. The last ceremony is in May and teachers pick their nominations in January through February.
“The award represents a teacher’s perspective, what we look for in Costa kids, in a classroom,” Dale said. “We want them to get good grades no doubt, we are all about that, but this award is more than that, it is about their effort, their character and how they contribute and go beyond what is expected.”
There is no limitation of how many students a teacher can nominate and every student nominated wins an award. According to Tami Brothers, who is in charge of Mira Costa high school Parent Teacher Student Association, some teachers are very involved with this award and love to nominate students while other teachers choose not to participate.
“I think it is pretty special for teachers to take the time to go through and nominate one or more students.” Brothers said.
According to Brothers, there are no specific requirements in order to win the PTSA student recognition award. She claimed the only requirement would be “a job well done.” More specifically, teachers look for students that are on task, involved, help others in and outside of the classroom and basically students who are genuinely nice people.
“I am very proud of this year recipients,” Dale said. “They are an amazing group of Costa students and I am glad they are being recognized for it.
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