Whitefoord Elementary School

Name: Kyra Franklin

Grade: 1st Grade

School: Whitefoord Elementary

Kyra Franklin has recently been appointed both classroom monitor and student of the month for January. With her sweet, soft-spoken and dainty personality, she leads her classmates through exceptional behavior and even assists them with their schoolwork. She excels among her peers as a hard worker and a student who loves math, reading, social studies, and science. As the student of the month for her class, she is treated out to lunch by Principal Foster, has her picture taken, receives a coupon, and is acknowledged during Monday meetings.

Kyra loves being a first grader and all the opportunities it entails. “I get to go outside, and get to use computers, leap frogs, and build things with cubes,” Kyra says. Kyra’s favorite activity is reading, and her favorite reading materials include chapter books, short books, and funny books. She is most excited for her 7^th birthday on February 24^th because she will receive a computer and a kindle. “It’s good to read a lot because you will know things that you’re supposed to know, and learn big words and short words,” Kyra says.

Name: Saifullah Abdur-Rahim

Grade: 3rd Grade

School: Thomasville Heights Elementary

Saifullah Abdur-Rahim, a third grade student at Thomasville Heights Elementary, has constantly proven his dedication to education and literacy. Saifullah is a habitual honor roll student with straight A’s and prides himself on being an ambitious and eager learner. Not only does he demonstrate his passion for learning through his classwork, but Saifullah also holds the highest point total in the school’s Accelerated Reader program (currently in his 8^th consecutive week at the top of the points board).  This year, he is assisting the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl Team and is excited about the prospect of joining the team when he advances to the fourth grade. “I love to read,” explains Saifullah, “it’s fun and it can improve my test scores. My favorite book is Turtles in Paradise by Jennifer Holm.” He states that reading is by far his favorite subject in school and one of the primary reasons he enjoys his time in the Thomasville Heights Media Center.

Saifullah not only excels in academics but he is also pleasant, respectful and a joy to teach. He understands that his behavior also contributes to his overall grade, and he always makes a conscious effort to be on his best behavior. With the guidance from his favorite teacher, Ms. Day, Saifullah is definitely on the path towards continued academic success. In addition, Saifullah is also being tested to be placed in the Thomasville Heights Gifted & Talented Program, a program designed to further challenge gifted students. “I am very excited to have Saifullah as a student. He is a great example of a student that works hard to become one of the best and the brightest,” says Thomasville Heights Gifted Teacher, Mrs. Jacobs.

Saifullah has dreams of becoming an architect when he gets older and graduates from college. That dream is due to his unique creativity and love of art. “After a long career as an architect, I want to teach architecture to students,” says Saifullah. After having the privilege of teaching this young man, we are confident that he will make good on his dreams and go on to have an awesome impact on the world of architecture, education, and the community as a whole.

written by Intiasar Ziyad, Media Specialist at Thomasville Heights Elementary

Name: Maddisen Miles

Grade: 3rd Grade

School: Fickett Elementary

Maddisen Miles is a 3^rd grade gifted student at Fickett Elementary School. This star student receives stellar grades in school and she has been recognized with awards in Citizenship and Honor Roll. Maddisen was also selected to participate in the GA Tech K.I.D.S. [Kids Interested in Discovering Science] program. Georgia Tech’s K.I.D.S. Club is a program designed to enhance and encourage curiosity and enthusiasm for science, mathematics, engineering and technology.

In her spare time, Maddisen enjoys acting, as she has received offers from local movie production companies, and playing games on her Kindle and iPad. Maddisen also enjoys reading and writing, which is probably why she is already a published author at such a young age. Recently, Maddisen’s work was included in a book of children’s poetry entitled   A Celebration of Poets Summer 2012  published by Creative Communications, Inc.  The title of the poem is “I Will Never”.

“I thought of the poem as I observed the chairs and tables in my classroom,” Maddisen explained. “The poem is about doing your best in school.”

Ms. Jestine Taylor, the gifted teacher at Fickett Elementary, says Madissen’s sense of humor and creative thinking truly allowed her to express herself in her poem.

Name:  Mia Ford

Grade:  3rd

School: F.L. Stanton Elementary School

Mia Ford is considering a career as a rock star.

“I don’t know why, but I just love Michael Jackson,” says the F.L. Stanton Student of the Month. “Maybe I’ll grow up and be a singer like him.”

In her spare time Mia taps away on keyboard keys, dances and even strums bass guitar strings, so she already has a head start on most of her future competition. There was a time when Mia set her eyes on becoming a dentist.  But then she watched a video of a wisdom tooth extraction.

“That was gross—and it looked really painful.  I didn’t like it at all,” she says.  So she promptly changed her mind.  Mia realizes, however, that as long as she continues to fill her report cards with As, she can be anything she wants to be when she grows up.

Mia’s teacher, Ms. Smith, says that Mia’s great work ethic is one reason she makes those As.

“One thing that makes Mia standout,” says Smith, “is her amazing work ethic.” She always goes beyond what she’s supposed to do.”

Smith says Mia generates good questions for class discussion. She takes initiative to research any questions Smith cannot answer, and shares the information she discovers with the rest of the class.

“She always shares her knowledge,” states Smith. “She’s really good for the class.  She is really a treasure.”

Although Mia says her favorite subject is math, the third grader has an impressive awareness of Black History Month and famous African-Americans like Frederick Douglass, Harriett Tubman and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In fact, Mia says that watching a video on Frederick Douglass was one of the more exciting things she recently did at school.

And as she goes down her list of famous African-Americans, Mia remembers one name she somehow forgot to mention earlier—President Barack Obama.

“Oh yeah,” she says.  Maybe I can even grow up and be president one day.”