What an incredible month of achievement at Mary M. Knight! Our November secondary awards assembly was a powerful reminder of the dedication, resilience, and academic commitment our students demonstrate every day. I am proud to share the outstanding accomplishments of our Owls.
Recognizing Academic Success and Dedication
This month, we celebrated students across three distinctive award categories, each highlighting important aspects of student success. The Wise OWL Award recognizes students who maintained passing grades throughout November, demonstrating their commitment to academic growth and learning. The Steadfast OWL Award honors students who showed exceptional attendance and punctuality with no unexcused absences or tardies for the entire month. And our highest recognition, the Peak of OWL Excellence Award, goes to students who achieved both milestones—proving that consistency in attendance and dedication to academics go hand in hand.
Wise OWL Award Recipients (All Passing Grades): In 7th grade, congratulations to Camryn Koch and Kane Dunnington. Our 8th graders include Katelynn Blanchard, Peyton Gonzales, Madilyn Horn, Kheiron Sjolie, Layla Thomas, and Layla VanBoven. In 9th grade, we recognize Peyton Hughes, Cash King, Tarin Lovejoy, Joe Seymour, and Dayton Triggs. Our 10th grade honorees are Gabe Buck, Natalie Hammel-North, Bleyden Jenkins, Brandon Lawrence, and Caleb Moran. In 11th grade, Hayden Hughes and Gabe Walters earned this distinction. And finally, our 12th grade Wise Owls are Nolan Baughman, Cloey Fletcher, Maelynn Nygaard, Hayden Roberts, and Chase Tupper.
Steadfast OWL Award Recipients (Perfect Attendance): Our 7th grade steadfast students include Jaxson Blanchard, Riley Coleman, Josepy Day, Kane Dunnington, Kylie Fischer, Macy Masteller, Elsie Richards, Alaina Tinoco, and Preston Vogland. In 8th grade, Katelyn Blanchard, Bash Buck, Yohan Carrillo, Riot Coleman, Madilyn Horn, Liam Jones, and Layla Thomas demonstrated perfect attendance. Our 9th graders are Harley Garcia, Cash King, Alivia McNair, Joe Seymour, and Dillon Smith. The 10th grade steadfast students are Gabe Buck, Bleyden Jenkins, Brandon Lawrence, Mylee Mezzell, Caleb Moran, Myles Thompson, and Nic Wulf. In 11th grade, Bella Buck and Destiny LaRance earned this award. Our 12th grade steadfast Owls are Nolan Baughman, Cloey Fletcher, Maelynn Nygaard, and Chase Tupper.
Peak of OWL Excellence Award Recipients (Both Awards): These exceptional students achieved the highest standard by earning both awards. In 7th grade, Kane Dunnington reached the peak. Our 8th grade peak performers are Katelynn Blanchard, Madilyn Horn, and Layla Thomas. The 9th grade students at the peak include Cash King, Dayton Triggs, and Joe Seymour. In 10th grade, Gabe Buck, Bleyden Jenkins, Brandon Lawrence, Caleb Moran, and Myles Thompson achieved this distinction. And our 12th grade peak performers are Nolan Baughman, Cloey Fletcher, Maelynn Nygaard, and Chase Tupper.
GRIT Student of the Month Recognitions
Beyond academic achievement, we also celebrated students who exemplify our GRIT and OWL expectations through their character, perseverance, and service to others.
Layla VanBoven (8th grade) was recognized for her consistent dedication to improvement and community. Layla seeks out help to improve her school work and makes appropriate corrections to meet standards. More importantly, she is always willing to help others with both academic and emotional support, making her a great contributor to the 8th grade class.
Noland Baughman (12th grade) demonstrates the power of resilience and positive attitude. His innate persistence allows him to push beyond the boundaries others place on him. Even when life knocks him down or frustrations arise, he gets back up with greater determination than before. Because of this resilience, Noland is beginning Running Start next semester, is well on his way to becoming an Eagle Scout, and is on track to graduate this spring.
Tarin Lovejoy (9th grade) showed outstanding determination and resilience by stepping up at the last minute to support the senior class and PTO Concessions when we were short-staffed. When all available seniors were busy with other responsibilities, Tarin volunteered without hesitation to fill a critical gap. His willingness to take on this unexpected challenge shows a strong commitment to productive struggle, effort, and persistence in service of his school community.
Amberlynn Gutierrez Temertizo (7th grade) is a quiet student who diligently works through her assignments with quiet tenacity. Even through tough topics, she has demonstrated persistence, GRIT, and a will to succeed.
Colton Gage-Brix (10th grade) is doing an outstanding job in Math Lab! He has already passed 40 skills this semester and is on pace to exceed 50. When he hits a challenge, he doesn't give up—he looks back at his errors, learns from them, and makes corrections. He is also a positive presence in class, encouraging his classmates and helping explain ideas when they ask.
Celebrating Our Staff: Willingness with Resilience
This month's staff recognition theme celebrated Willingness with Resilience, honoring educators who demonstrate perseverance and adaptability in supporting student success. We are proud to recognize two exceptional staff members.
Ms. Bingham is our November Staff Award winner. Students recognized her unwavering commitment to their learning and growth, particularly in how she helps them develop independence and problem-solving skills. One student captured her approach perfectly, noting that "Ms. Bingham is very dedicated to helping students learn, keeps trying with them until they understand, helps them but doesn't do the work for them. She is good at keeping everyone on task and respectful while still keeping things fun in the classroom." Another student powerfully stated that she "Helps You Learn Through Struggle," directly connecting her teaching style to our core values. Ms. Bingham's ability to balance rigor with support, to push students while making them feel capable, and to maintain a respectful yet fun learning environment makes her truly deserving of this recognition.
Mr. Kerr received Honorable Mention for demonstrating resilience across multiple demanding roles. Students appreciate the many hats he wears and the dedication he brings to each role. As one student noted, "he is always a great teacher and has to juggle being the football coach, the sports director, and a teacher." Students also recognized his supportive teaching approach and celebrated that "he got us to the championship game"—a testament to his persistence and refusal to give up on his team even when facing tough competition. Mr. Kerr's ability to maintain high expectations across multiple contexts while staying calm, supportive, and positive makes him an excellent example of willingness with resilience.
Congratulations to all our award recipients! These recognitions reflect the positive culture we are building together at Mary M. Knight—a culture where effort matters, persistence pays off, and every student has the opportunity to soar. Thank you to our families for supporting your students' commitment to excellence, and thank you to our staff for inspiring greatness every day.
