Congratulations, September 2013 GHS Students of the Month!

Do you know any of these Geneva students? If so, be sure to congratulate them in the comments field below.

Seniors

Brandon Evert, Grade 12

Nominated by Matt Hahn

Brandon is a senior on the varsity baseball team and I have had Brandon in both U.S. History and Government.  Brandon has a tremendous work ethic and always goes above and beyond what is asked of him. In the classroom, he understands the broader concepts of civic responsibility. On the ball field, he is a team player and is always willing to do the little things to make any group he is associated with successful. Brandon is the type of individual that you would want your own children associated with.

Nominated by Danica Fahmy

Nominating Haley Persin as student of the month for Fine Art has been the easiest nomination I have ever made. Haley displays all of the qualities that a student of the month should have such as striving for excellence, having a positive attitude, helping others, etc.  But, what sets Haley apart in the art, specifically the photography classroom which tends to be a bit competitive is that she is so humble. I don’t think that she realizes what an incredible artist she is.  Haley has vision and technical skills that are extraordinary. But, when she has to talk about her photography she is always very modest and focuses on the amount of enjoyment she had taking photos, not the end result. Having humility in the art world and even the high school art classroom is a trait that is refreshing and very much needed.  I would also like to mention that Haley is a person that her peers really look up to due to her kind nature. She is sociable with everyone and I’ve noticed that she makes her classmates feel good when they talk to her. It is my hope that Haley continues to take art & photography classes next year in college and makes creativity an important aspect of her life because she is what the art world needs.

Kristin Combs, Grade 12

Nominated by Kristine Toldness

I am proud to name Kristin Combs as student of the month in Business.  Kristin is a delight to have in class.  She started the semester a bit out of her comfort zone, not sure about how the class would work out for her.  But, she worked hard and persevered.  Kristin is an early graduate and this is her last semester at GHS, but you would never know it from the hard work and daily commitment I see from her in class.  Not only academically successful, Kristin has a great demeanor, she self-advocates maturely, and always looks top-notch.  Kristin is a great example of a success story, and I am proud to have gotten to know her in class, and to nominate her as our student of the month!

Juniors

Megan Kozlow, Grade 11

Nominated by Jessie Egan

I have decided to nominate Megan Kozlow for the World Languages student of the month for a few reasons. Primarily, I have been so impressed by Megan’s determination to use Spanish from bell to bell in my class. Before class even begins, she chats with her “familia” (her group) in Spanish. When they go over homework or complete an activity out of the book, she uses Spanish to explain complex grammatical rules, she uses synonyms and antonyms to describe vocab words, and she is determined to understand everything! She knows the importance of putting your ego off to the side when using a second language, and she shows no fear or self-consciousness. That sort of ambition is so contagious in a classroom, and her “familia” has become a model for all the other groups in the class. Megan has a clear goal: to become fluent in Spanish and I have no doubt in my mind that she will achieve that goal.

Kathryn Gibson, Grade 11

Nominated by Janet Meeks

Choosing a Student of the Month so early in the year is sometimes difficult. This year when our department was asked to nominate a student, Kathryn immediately came to mind. This is Kathryn’s third year as a student in the On the Job training program. When Kathryn started at GHS her freshman year she was very anxious, timid and quiet. She was afraid to ride the elevator by herself and needed lots of encouragement to complete each job. This year, Kathryn has become a leader who takes charge of the job and offers encouragement to her younger coworkers. Kathryn has made so much progress that she is currently working off campus four days a week. She tackles each task with enthusiasm and confidence. Her continued growth makes her our candidate for Student of the Month.

Sophomores

Bobby Ariss, Grade 10

Nominated by Greg Dierks

Bobby Ariss is the Math Department’s student of the month for September.  During the first month of the school year, most teachers are looking for students that work hard in class, complete their assignments, and are willing to participate in class and ask good questions. Bobby Ariss is that student for me.  His approach to class has allowed him to show immediate improvement in his work, and it has also helped his classmates learn because of the discussions that are initiated by the questions he asks. Bobby is being recognized this month as a way of congratulating him for a job well done, and as a way of thanking him for making class time more productive for all of us.

Kendall Feeney, Grade 10

Nominated by Chrisopher Arnett

In the short time we’ve been in school, Kendall has established herself as a leader in class, taking charge in group activities and actively participating in class discussion. Kendall was noted as being helpful to the sub while I was out sick at the start of the school year, and has been more than willing to assist other students in class as well. Kendall is not afraid to speak her mind, and willing to share her thoughts and reactions to my comments, and those of other students. Kendall is also a strong writer and poet, and her writing has a solid voice to it.

Kari Kurl, Grade 10

Nominated by Jen Pease

My student of the month is Kari Kirl. She is my student of the month because she is such a nice person and a conscientious student. She is polite, mature, and respectful. She came to health class ready to learn and has created an environment where she can be most successful. She is attentive, asks questions, and shares information about herself that is useful to both me and the topic of health. She is always on time with a smile on her face. She does exactly what is asked of her and is her own best advocate. She is a pleasure to have in class!

Freshmen

Greg Wendt, Grade 9

Nominated by Fred Fortman

Greg Wendt is my student of the month for Science. This is the first student of the month award for the year and it comes less than 4 weeks since the start of school. I teach mostly freshmen and it takes time to get to know each one and what they are capable of. A truly worthy student can be difficult to choose in such a short amount of time, but Greg Wendt has stood out from his peers.  Most students are on their best behavior at the start of school and hardworking students are plentiful. The quality of Greg’s work has allowed him to stand alone among my classes. His work stands out both for the accuracy and attention to detail he puts forth.  

SOURCE: Geneva School District 304