West Essex Middle School Honors Students of the Month for 2011-12 School Year at Special Luncheon

The West Essex Middle School Students of the Month for the 2011-2012 School Year were honored with a luncheon on May 24. Students ate sandwiches, salads and cookies. Afterwards, the seventh and eighth graders were each asked to nominate teacher-of-the-year candidates for their grade and then cast a vote for the nominees.

"It's nice to be recognized for my hard work over the course of the school year," said Lisa Giuffre, a seventh grade student of the month from Fairfield. "I like how the student of the month is not just about good grades, but it's about you as a whole person."

"This luncheon really makes me feel good about myself," said eighth grader Jake Tulanowski of Fairfield. "It makes me want to work harder."

West Essex Middle School Principal David Montgomery congratulated the students for their hard work.

 The West Essex Middle School Student of the Month program was initiated by Teacher Paula Arbadji. Each month during the school year, four students were recognized for academics, honest, perseverance, responsibility, integrity and leadership. The students had their photos displayed outside the main office and on the middle school website. They also received certificates and a $5 gift card to the student store and a "Student of the Month" locker magnet.