For parents, students, and teachers alike, no night is more special than the annual Academic Awards Night for IMMS. This program, designed to recognize all the outstanding work by students throughout the year, focuses on students in grades five through seven, but also including the specific accomplishments in computers, the arts, and overall academic excellence by our eighth graders. The bulk of the eighth grade awards were presented at the graduation ceremony, conducted at Seneca High School on Wednesday, June 19.
The guest speaker was Lindsey Woytowich, a recent graduate of Seneca High School and a former student at IMMS. Her remarks focused on pride, commitment, honor and cooperation. It was a fitting presentation that captured the audience. Her challenge to strive to achieve, but to keep to your values was especially poignant to her young listeners.
Principal Tim Carroll took the lead, recognizing the accomplishments of 77 students in a wide array of subject areas including art, music, computers, foreign language proficiency and the academic subject areas of language arts, science, math, and social studies. 12 teachers, who presented the awards for their grade level, representing the subject areas, supported Carroll. More than 200 proud parents were in attendance, beaming with pride over the accomplishments of sons, daughters, grandsons, and granddaughters. It was a night to reflect on the power inherent in education and even more so, the initiative of our next generation. While so many rush to complain about the lack of focus, drive, and honor among today’s youth, it is comforting to see that there are exceptions; a great many exceptions.
