28 students recognized for showing Respect, Responsibility, Safety, and/or Empathy
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – On Friday September 19, 2025, Chester Grade School presented its 2nd set of “HIVE” awards for the 2025-2026 school year. These awards are presented twice each month throughout the year and students in grades Kindergarten through 8th Grade are eligible to be recognized for demonstrating one or more of the four “HIVE” character traits.
Character traits being recognized include Respect, Responsibility, Safety, and/or Empathy. Throughout the weeks leading up to each set of “HIVE” award presentations, teachers, staff and administration, are observing students that are regularly demonstrating the four “HIVE” good character traits.
Nominations can be made by any CGS employee, but typically are made by teachers or classroom paraprofessionals who are in day-to-day, regular contact with the respective students. All nominations are submitted to the coordinator of the program, Kacey Crook, School Counselor. Crook reviews all of the nominations and selects the bi-monthly award winners.
All award winners are recognized at the bi-monthly school-wide “Morning Meetings” that take place in the CGS gymnasium. All students, teachers and paraprofessionals are in attendance at this bi-monthly gathering of the CGS family.
At the time of the presentation of the bi-monthly “HIVE” awards, the honorees are introduced to the entire student body where they receive a very loud and proud round of applause and are brought down to the gym floor where they are recognized and presented with a certificate to commemorate the honor.
Following the presentations, a group photo is taken of all “HIVE” award recipients with their certificates. These photos are published in various media outlets as well as on various social media platforms.
For the September 19th presentations, there were a total of 28 students that received awards. The areas of recognition included Respect (5); Responsibility (13), and Empathy (10), for a total of 28 awards. Grade levels that received these awards included:
K 3
1st 4
2nd 3
3rd 2
4th 4
5th 5
6th 3
7th 3
8th 1
Total: 28 awards/recipients
Award winners, grade levels, and “HIVE” Characteristics being recognized
Respect (5 students)
Briella McIntyre, K
Aria Calvert, K
Scarlett Rains, 1st
Vincent Eggemeyer, 3rd
Suhaily Torres, 7th
Responsibility (13 students)
Aspen Christine Burris, 1st
Violet Smith, 1st
Olive Maes, 2nd
Matthew Holdman, 3rd
Zayne Martin. 4th
Grade Medford, 4th
Paisley Ezell, 5th
Myah Palacio, 5th
Callie Eckert, 5th
Katelyn Middendorf, 6th
Jude Medrano, 6th
Breanna Johnson, 6th
Alex Todd, 7th
Empathy (10 students)
Sophia Krantz, 1st
Gabe Frazer, 2nd
Cora Hargis, 2nd
Kris Crouch, 4th
Haley Sellers, 4th
Mila King, 5th
Brycen Bert, 7th
McKenzie Bentem, 8th
The next “HIVE” awards will be presented on Friday October 19th, 2025 at the CGS “Morning Meeting” at 8:00 a.m.