The Board of Education honored six students on Tuesday, Jan. 14, for excellence in academic achievement, personal responsibility and career readiness, focus areas of the system’s master plan. The students honored were Ajani Witherspoon, fifth grade, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Elementary School; Ryann Brown, fifth grade, T.C. Martin Elementary School; Alexandria Barrow, fifth grade, Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School; Erik Wells, fifth grade, William B. Wade Elementary School; Jeniece Bailey, eighth grade, Matthew Henson Middle School; and Michael Fraley, eleventh grade, Robert D. Stethem Educational Center.
Witherspoon was recognized in the area of career readiness. He has attended Jenifer since kindergarten and has been on the honor roll every marking period since the first quarter of third grade. Witherspoon scored advanced on the Maryland State Assessment (MSA) for both reading and math. He is involved in school activities including math team and Just Say No Club. Witherspoon participates in extracurricular activities including a traveling soccer team and wants to be a professional soccer player when he grows up.
Brown was recognized in the area of academic achievement. She has represented Martin on the math team, Lego Robotics and MESA. Brown works to develop leadership skills by serving as a safety patrol officer, Student Host and a Girl Scout. According to Martin Principal Gregory Miller, “[Her] inquisitive interests in all school subjects, her career goals to become a journalist or the first female baseball player along with her responsible self-discipline set and exemplary example for her peers.”
Barrow was recognized in the area of academic achievement. She is involved in school activities including history club, chorus, band, math team and Destination Imagination (DI). According to Dr. Mudd Principal Kimberly Hairston, “Alexis, as she is fondly called, is a dedicated, hardworking student who has earned straight A’s since third grade. She pays great attention to detail and always tries her best.”
Wells was recognized in the area of academic achievement. He is a member of the chess club, safety patrol, K-Kids and plays the saxophone. Wells consistently makes the honor roll at Wade. According to Wade Principal Virginia McGraw, Wells is “hard working, self-motivated and consistently tries his best. Extremely responsible, attentive and courteous, he shows incredible initiative in all he does. Erik exemplifies what it means to be a Wade Elementary I-Care student; he is smart, special and valuable student who respects others and respects himself.”
Bailey was recognized in the area of personal responsibility. She has been on the principal’s honor roll and the outstanding citizenship honor roll every quarter since she became a Henson student. Bailey is a member of the Student Government Association (SGA), Spanish Club and National Junior Honor Society (NJHS). “Jeniece has shown great personal responsibility over the past two years and as a result has performed exemplary both in and outside of the classroom,” Henson Principal Sonia Jones wrote in a nomination letter.
Fraley was recognized in the area of academic achievement. He is the president of the Stethem SkillsUSA chapter and a member of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. Fraley has earned several “Student of the Month” awards and he was selected to assume a leadership role as a member of the Stethem Student Ambassador Team. He was also accepted into the Interactive Media Production program, a two-year Career and Technology Education program. According to Stethem Principal Wayne Freeman, “Michael should be honored for his superior academics while display
