Morgan Robertson
COVID has hit everyone hard, and perfect attendance is difficult even in the best of times. But 39 students at Mance Park Middle School (MPMS) achieved that perfect attendance for the spring semester, and five of those students had perfect attendance for the entire 2021-2022 school year.
Every semester, a team of volunteers from First United Methodist Church (FUMC) provides lunch and a congratulatory ceremony for the students who prioritized their attendance to the tune of perfection. This year the volunteers–Donna Powell, Stacie Bible, Judy Freeman, Mary Ellen Sims, and Reverend Mark Crim–decorated the atrium of MPMS, provided a delicious lunch from Mr. Hamburger, and prepared to say a few words to congratulate the students, which is where we came in.
FUMC worked with 7th grade Counselor, Deanna Jamison, to schedule two ceremonies that accommodated the students’ class and lunch schedules.
At the ceremonies, both Principal Josh Campbell and Vice-Principal Jamie Lorenz told the students how proud they were of the students. Principal Campbell stressed the importance of attendance, praised his staff, faculty, and, of course, especially the students.
I then congratulated the students, encouraged them to continue such positive traits, and I noted how important those were not only in high-school and college, but also the workplace.
Rev. Crim then closed the ceremony by expressing how proud he is of the students and encouraging them to keep up the good work.
The students received a certificate to commemorate their hard work, and we were even able to snap a picture of the second group of students!
On behalf of the LEAP Ambassadors, congratulations to all the MPMS students who kept up their perfect attendance records, and thank you for inviting us!
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 