27 students are recognized for demonstrating Respect, Responsibility, Safety, and/or Empathy
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – On Friday October 10, 2025, Chester Grade School presented its 3rd 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 October 10th presentations, there were a total of 27 students that received awards. The areas of recognition included Respect (9); Responsibility (9), and Empathy (9), for a total of 27 awards. Grade levels that received these awards included:
K 3
1st 4
2nd 3
3rd 1
4th 2
5th 2
6th 6
7th 4
8th 2
Total: 27 awards/recipients
Award winners, grade levels, and “HIVE” Characteristics being recognized
Respect (9 students)
Jaymie Dickerson 8th
Mason Howie 7th (Not Pictured)
Audrey Jarrett 4th
Janiyah Logan 2nd
Nicandro Cortes 6th
Hunter Lloyd 2nd
Antonio Aguilar Guijon 1st
Adalyn Caron 6th
Jocelyn Maldonado Hernandez Kindergarten
Responsibility (9 students)
Noah Belton Kindergarten
Jackson Conway 6th
Presley Howell 6th
Wylin Sullivan 6th
Zoe Atchison 3rd
Ivan Lopez Perez 1st
Aracely Hernandez 2nd
Makenzie Rains Kindergarten
Kolin Martinez 8th (Not pictured)
Empathy (9 students)
Xander Hammel 5th
Ines Ixcoy Sica 2nd
Emma Voudrie 7th
Sophia Bryant 7th
Marissa Rosales 7th
Deegan Carter 1st
Savannah Bentem 3rd
Izabella Pender 1st
Ellie VanOtterloo 4th
The next “HIVE” awards will be presented on Thursday October 23, 2025 at the CGS “Morning Meeting” at 8:00 a.m.