20 students are recognized for demonstrating Respect, Responsibility, Safety, and/or Empathy
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – On Wednesday November 12, 2025, Chester Grade School presented its 5th 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 November 12 presentations, there were a total of 20 students that received awards. The areas of recognition included Respect (9); Responsibility (7), and Empathy (4), for a total of 20 awards.
Grade levels that received these awards included:
K 2
1st 2
2nd 2
3rd 2
4th 2
5th 5
6th 2
7th 1
8th 2
Total: 20 awards/recipients
Award winners, grade levels, and “HIVE” Characteristics being recognized
Respect (9 students)
Parker Absher-Kindergarten
Ario Koester-Kindergarten
Karlie Fogle-1st
Karington McCarson-2nd
Weylyn Quintana-4th
Corbin King-5th
Avery Smith-5th
Easton Conder-6th
Trinity Galster -6th
Responsibility (7 students)
Reagan Bentem-1st
William Johnson-2nd
Amairani Cortes Vasquez-3rd (Not pictured)
Lydia Miller-5th
Sophia Sumpter-5th (Not Pictured)
Brooklyn Eggemeyer-7th
Miles Belton-8th (Not Pictured)
Empathy (4 students)
Reagan Bryant -3rd (Not Pictured)
Oaklynn Wallace-4th
Wayde Mollet-5th
Ealijah McGuire-8th
The next “HIVE” awards will be presented on Friday November 21, 2025 at the CGS “Morning Meeting” at 8 a.m.