Written by Sydney Baker, 5th grade
Imagine a school where fun and excitement is around every corner! There is no frowny face to be seen. Here at Audubon Elementary they reward good behavior by giving out Eagle Up Cards. I think Eagle Up cards are necessary because they make kids want to do their best and are exciting to kids because they are rewarded for their good behavior.
Eagle Up cards were created to fill a need for recognizing student success. Mrs. Jo Beth Grigsby, our assistant principal, says that “We wanted to implement Eagle Up cards to positively reward students who are exceeding our expectations and Guidelines for Success. We want to motivate students to positively interact with each other and be a good citizen in the future.”
The teacher or staff member who thinks a student deserves this card will write the good deed the student did, what guideline it falls under, and both the teacher and the students name. These teachers look for children who follow and respect these guidelines. Andrea Head, a fourth grade teacher here at Audubon, says, “I look for students who go above and beyond our guidelines and when they show that in the classroom or in the hallways then I talk to them about that, I praise them in front of the whole class and I give them their Eagle Up card.”
Mrs. Bonita French, a fifth grade teacher, says “I give out Eagle Up cards when students have exceeded normal expectations. Honestly, I look for kids who are showing kindness to their classmates and are proactive in their educational journey.”
Students get these cards for what we call the Guidelines for Success: Embracing Diversity, Empathy, Grit, Integrity, and Self-Control. Embracing Diversity teaches kids to recognize and respect others’ differences. Empathy helps kids to try to understand how others feel and try to show compassion for them. Grit teaches kids to never give up and persevere to conquer challenges. Integrity helps kids to know they can do the right thing even when it is difficult. Last but not least, self-control: self-control helps kids to control their words and actions. Each of these guidelines help kids to: work as a team, do the right thing, and never give up.
The student can then take it to the office for a reward! If someone gets an Eagle Up card, they get their own prize, a choice of a gift card or a smelly pencil. These kids also get recognized for their good deeds by getting a star put on the Wall of Fame with their name on it. While they are in the office, they get to make a special phone call home to celebrate their achievements and sign their name in a book with all the Eagle Up card recipients for this year. Ace Lillpop, a fifth grade student at Audubon, says “It feels good to me because I get recognized for going above and beyond.”
Our principal, Sarah Velotta, explains what her favorite part of the Eagle Up cards are: “Sometimes when parents find out the principal or assistant principal is calling, the tone of their voice changes. Many have shared with me that they thought I was calling because the student was in trouble. Once I explain the reason for the call, the worry leaves their voice and excitement sets in. Having Eagle Up Cards in place has been uplifting, not only for our students and the adults who write the cards and call home, but also for our families.”
If we reach 100 cards as a total, the whole school gets a reward like: a glow party or extra recess. Many kids here at Audubon like the idea of Eagle Up rewards. Scarlett Hicks, a third grader at Audubon, says she likes the glow party because “I got to dance around and listen to the music.” Khama McCreary, another third grader, says “I like to get extra recess because I like to play and get extra exercise.”
Audubon Elementary continues to grow with fun and creative things that inspire children to work hard and succeed. Instructional Coach, Tina Jennings, reports many positive reasons Eagle Up cards will help kids in the future: “We know that these five guidelines are the characteristics that you have to exhibit to be successful in whatever you choose to do. The Eagle Up Cards reinforce when students show those characteristics, so by reinforcing when you’re showing grit or you’re showing embracing diversity then you are in a sense helping kids learn and understand how to be successful later in life.”
A student here at Audubon explains how getting an Eagle Up card could help and support her in the future. Violet Schwartz, a fifth grade student says, “Trying to get an Eagle Up card motivates me to become a better person so that I can do better things in life.” One thing is for sure Eagle Up cards have changed the face of Audubon for the better.