A pep rally for middle school students

Entertainment, information, recognition and reward were what brought Lawrence Middle School seventh and eighth together in the auditorium for the school year’s second town meeting.

Ellen Shurgan, a social and emotional learning coach at the middle school, said the town meetings are very similar to high school pep rallies and happen four times a year after every marking period ends.

“The town meeting was an idea by one of our secretaries, Evelyn Hattem, who came to us from another school,” Shurgan said. “Students like to be recognized and see what’s going on in the school.”

At the Jan. 28 event, students were given updates and information on each club and sports team at the middle school. The girl’s volleyball and boy’s basketball teams were recognized for their successful seasons.

Some students received ROCK cards which means they were recognized for good character and teachers were also noted and given STAR cards, “Student to Teacher Appreciation Recognition,” at the town meeting and included Linda Kelch, Lisa King, Julia Swain and Angela Zangari for their efforts in raising money and distributing food for needy families at the school’s Thanksgiving Day Dinner Dance.

The Baile Latino club members danced to a Latin song in front of their fellow students and the Peer Meditation Club performed a skit related to their motto, “Don’t take it out, talk it out.”

Stephanie Henderson, a guidance counselor and the peer mediation club’s advisor, said it is important to teach students to resolve conflicts on their own because it gives them a sense of empowerment not having to rely on adults. “The students just finished training which consisted of learning how to deal with the most common situations I often hear in the guidance office,” she said.

The peer mediator’s training was three months long and although the club only began this year, Henderson said there are already lots of plans in store such as having a peer mediator in every homeroom.

The drama, yearbook, service learning, art and book clubs, along with the National Honor Society and the Kenya Krew (which raises money for Kenya) updated students on their different projects and upcoming events. The service learning club recently donated $1,000 to the Gerges family for David Gerges, who was struck by a car on New Year’s Day in Cedarhurst and was severely injured.

Rina Beach, the housemaster at the middle school, said, “I love the meetings positive look at the events that go on in our school. It gives us a wonderful opportunity to honor staff and students who have gone over and beyond what is expected.”