The award system needs work

By Jaden Jeune/ Photographer/Reporter and Ke'Anna Hulbert/Features Editor

Over the years at Crete-Monee, the award system feels like a lost practice to the students here. With the school focusing on things like the dress code rather than their students, some feel they are never recognized for their efforts.

Student Elijah Avers poses for a picture in front of the award case by the cafeteria. Photo by Jaden Jeune.

“No, I don’t know about any academic rewards. I honestly don’t know how much the school gives to students for any accomplishments,” Dean Cantave said.

Students don’t know any rewards the school gives out; most came up with a blank answer.

“In my opinion, the school doesn’t reward us enough. The worst part is that it feels like they don’t reward us. It’s random, and students don’t know what they should be working towards during the school year,” Christian Wiley said.

Students have their own opinions on the issue, but the school has yet to ask or reach out for opinions on the matter.

“If I could decide on one reward for the school to give out, it would be an event where students eat food and hang out. Most of the time, we don’t even want to do all that much, but just want to eat after a long school day,” Israel Graves said.

Most students know what they want but know these awards won’t come easily, realizing they will come through hard work and dedication.

“If the school were to reward us, I know we need to be on our best behavior while maintaining good grades. Maintaining a 3.0 GPA throughout the school year and never being tardy or having disciplinary actions against you should be the bar. We’re not asking for these things just to be handed out for free,” said Christian Wiley.

Even if students know what they want while knowing what it takes. It still doesn’t seem like anything is going to change.

“The school cares too much about unimportant things. They don’t focus on the well-being or mental health of their students. Instead, they’re too focused on small things like headphones, hoods, and hats but never learning,” Graves said.

Students feel the school doesn’t take the time to ensure its success and overall environment.

“I wish the school also rewarded their students for their attendance, sports achievements, and helping other students,” Cantave said.

According to students, an environment where the school shows they care would boost the overall learning environment. "Students Want to be Recognized More Often"

By Ke'Anna Hulbert Features Editor

Many students have said they are often not recognized for their academic performances.

Throughout the school year, the students here have recently discussed their feelings towards the staff. Students here at Crete expressed many hardcore feelings about not being rewarded enough for their academic performances and not feeling appreciated.

¨I feel that I should be awarded more because when I am doing my best and constantly trying after failing, I want someone to be able to see that I am trying my best and give me the influence and motivation that I need to keep me going,¨ Bianca Mekoum said.

A lot of other students state that the staff should try to do more for the students so that they can motivate them and help them throughout the year.

¨I wish that the staff would do more for us and not only reward one to two people a month because that also is not fair to the rest of us. I know that there are a lot of other kids who are doing just as well as the 1-2 students who get picked to be the student of the month, and when they do that, it is like a trap to get us to be against each other,¨ Brenland Sangster said.

In other words, most students feel like they have to compete with the next person because the other person may be receiving more awards and more recognition than him/her. It puts them in the position of feeling like they are not trying their best and that favoritism plays a big role into the rewards that Crete-Monee has given out recently and in the past.

¨I am awarded a little less often than I used to, and when that happens, I start feeling like I’m not doing my best and that there is no point in trying if I am just going to be, ¨ said Sanieyah Hillard.

Relating to the students above, Tashyra Walker also feels that the students here at Crete should be awarded more often, but not only at school; Tashyra Walker feels like supportive behavior doesn’t always have to be from the school, but you should also be supported and recognized by your parents/ guardians when you do good deeds because this would start your journey to being more confident in your specialty.