We are taking Aspire Academy to the next level here at Cedar Street Campus-- focusing on student incentive and recognition. To encourage student enthusiasm and intrinsic motivation, Aspire has been running “Triple A” activities. The Three A’s are: Attendance, Attitude, and Academics--three of the pillars to success at Aspire, and students are expected to be in good standing in all three of these areas. “Attendance” is shown by being present in class, with very few days missed. “Attitude” is shown by demonstrating a good work ethic and positive demeanor that contributes to the school-wide culture. Finally, the “Academics” expectation is that students maintain passing grades and are current in their school work as they move toward the shared goal of graduation!
Each month, students who demonstrate the three “A”s participate in amazing events both in and out of school. For in-school events, we have what we call the House Olympics. The four houses, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Gryffindor compete in events in which students showcase a variety of offbeat skills and talents. In December’s House Olympics we had a tricycle race. For this event, student “prefects” designed a track in the gymnasium, and the rest of the students, some rather tall, raced around a series of winding turns toward victory. In “Hungry Hungry Humans,” a ring was set up to resemble the classic game, and students on rolling carts with baskets were pushed in and out by their classmates to grab balls and earn points. As a celebration of their victories, each house earned points in their quest to earn the house cup at the end of the year. This is a unique feature for Aspire Academy, and it was a fun way to celebrate the students’ successes and give them a reward for their hard work.
Several out-of-school events have happened as well. Students who were outstanding examples of the three A’s were able to go on a trip to “Mindbender Mansion,” a brain-teasingly good time at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. There they solved puzzles and riddles in several rooms of a large “mansion.” It was a test of their critical thinking and teamwork skills as they worked together to assemble all of the clues, escape-room style. They were also treated to a play, “The Three Musketeers”, at the Kalamazoo Civic. The play was especially great as students witnessed the power of the stagecraft and storytelling of a current adaptation of Dumas’ famous literary work. It was both fun and educational, and it served as a good motivator for the students to stay ahead in their classes and earn excellent grades. The next event was bowling, where the students showed their skills at Rainbow Lanes. Again, it was a fun diversion, but the best part was the feeling of accomplishment knowing that they had earned the reward through hard work and effort in their classes. The last field trip of first semester was to the Strand Theater. A walking field trip to downtown Paw Paw made this a great day out in the fresh air. Once there, students were treated to “Jumanji: The Next Level.” This was an excellent bonding experience for the students as they again showed their dedication to the three “A”s in earning their seat (and some choice snacks!) at the show. 2019 has been a tremendous celebration of accomplishments here at Aspire as we showcase the attitudes, attendance and rising academics of all of our hard-working students.