Salida Eighth Grade Students Rewarded for Perfect Class Attendance

Students waiting for their desserts. Photo by Brooke Gilmore.

On November 18, a group of eighth-graders led by Salida Middle School Principal Will Wooddell gathered at Salida Pharmacy and Fountain to reap the benefits of their hard work. That effort has taken place during a global pandemic in which every other routine a student would normally follow was disrupted. That didn’t stop these students.

The 17 Salida Middle School students all received a gift card to the local store as a reward for not missing any class periods during the early fall remote learning days.

The idea was completely teacher-driven as they were proud of these students for their dedication to academics.

Wooddell told Ark Valley Voice “This is a great teacher-generated reward for outstanding kids that we have during these crazy COVID times with remote learning and in-person learning. It’s well deserved.”

He went on to explain that the students each waited for their dessert of choice and followed mask-wearing rules.” Once outside students socialized and were able to bask in their achievements. One student told Ark Valley Voice “online school is much harder, but I think it paid off.”

Shae Merchant and Karli Bainbridge enjoying their reward. Photo by Brooke Gilmore

Salida Middle schoolers who had 100% attendance enjoy their just desserts in the sunshine outside the Salida Pharmacy and Soda Fountain. Photo by Brooke Gilmore.

Students who did not miss a single Salida School District online class period included: