A group of nine adults and one student stand together in a formal boardroom setting, smiling for a photo. At the front, a teenage girl holds a certificate while standing between the Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Michele Copher in green and the District Superintent, Jeff Purcell. Behind them is the Board of Education in front of a wooden wall featuring a county seal.

Case Studies

April Superintendent's Superstar

Anise is a standout 8th-grade student at Riverdale Elementary School, where she serves as ASB President. School staff members describe Anise as resilient, fearless, self-assured, laser-focused on succeeding, possessing a strong work ethic, and a key contributor to a positive school culture. Anise carries a perfect 4.0 GPA while remaining highly involved on campus. She participates in the Safe School Ambassadors program as a targeted student leader, a reserved role for students who have social influence on campus. Anise is in the leadership class, where she offers many ideas and suggestions to improve campus culture and often volunteers for opportunities to support the implementation of a plan. She often serves as an MC at student assemblies, confidently speaking in front of audiences of peers and adults. In addition to being a leader on campus, she is also an athlete competing on the softball team.

At the 8th-grade community service project, a Thanksgiving luncheon for local senior citizens, Anise played a major role in ensuring the event was successful. Once again, she stood with a microphone in hand and delivered a heartwarming welcome to the “special guests,” emphasizing the important role they played in shaping the community that our students now benefit from. Of course, she continued as the MC for the duration of the event, demonstrating both enthusiasm and composure.

School administrators admit that when they are in a pinch and need student support, they often turn to Anise because she is always willing to step up and is virtually unflappable. A recent example of this was the spring picture day, when Anise helped facilitate class movement as a “runner” throughout the school day.

Although she misses class time due to her many activities, she manages her academic responsibilities as her top priority. She is a shining example of a student who not only embraces every opportunity presented to her but also creates opportunities for herself.