The school counselors and students lit up the new year with a special student recognition program called Caught Being A Star.  The program recognizes the students who show their random acts of kindness.

Caught Being A Star is a student recognition program where WMS students get the chance to realize what good our peers are doing. The school counselors believe that it is important that the students realize what other kids are getting recognized for, in hopes that it will catch on. Also students can see that their peers are doing random acts of kindness that are being caught by teachers.

If teachers catch a student performing a random act of kindness, that teacher will submit their name to the school counselors along with the reason why they are getting recognized. Before this new program started, the school had a special student recognition category of Student of the Month, but didn’t include the reasons why that student was being recognized. With Caught Being A Star, it gives an explanation to why they are being given this title.

8th grader, Marcello Borrani, was caught talking to one of our school veterans, Custodian Bob Fedison, thanking him for his service. Marcello gave Mr. Fedison a thank you card for his service. Marcello had the idea to thank Mr. Fedison from his CCD class when his teacher gave him a card explaining the honor system. He thought it was a great idea to thank someone who is never really recognized behind the custodian uniform.

As November being the first month introducing Caught Being Star, Marcello was surprised that he won. He says that what he did is important because the custodians “don’t feel recognized.” He wanted to do something to make them feel and know that they are appreciated. Marcello feels like his actions in the school would make students be kinder and involved. Borrani went on to explain that he feels like a role model. He says, “ It’s like I’m setting a standard,” and  that he likes feeling like a role model for his peers.

Another 8th grade Star Student, Alden Kolenovic, was recognized by teacher Ms. Lukachyk for “stopping to let others pass leaving the cafeteria.” Alden let the students pass because “they had to go to class.” Putting others first is why he was recognized. It made him feel good that he was caught by the teacher so that other students can notice that being nice is important. He says that “it affects the school in a positive way and just wants to spread the love.”

Although Alden feels like a role model, he says that he just did something nice as part of being a good student. Alden says that he was surprised when he was rewarded with the title of Caught Being a Star because he didn’t even realize that any teachers were watching him.

The program also recognized 7th grader Rachit Jain. Ms. Burke said that Jain “went out of his way to track another student to let him know that he left his locker open.”  Rachit says that he did it because he would want someone to tell him that he left his locker open. Rachit says that it felt great to help another student. The appreciation that Rachit got was the best part for him. He was also surprised because he didn’t even realize what an impact it made.  

He wants everybody to “be nice to others.” Rachit says that he feels like a bigger person and hopes that people will look up to him and realize “ it’s better to be good to people.”