Plum elementary students gain school board recognition

Plum Borough School Board honored numerous kindergartners through fourth-graders who were chosen based on recommendations by their teachers.

The recognition by the Plum Mustang Foundation relates to the Rachel’s Challenge initiative put in place to help combat mental health issues in the community and promote a more positive environment. Students are recognized, according to the foundation’s website, for their “positive behavior and commitment to a positive school climate.”

“To make the foundation successful, I knew we would have to find Plum’s best community leaders, and we certainly accomplished that,” said Michael Caliguiri, school board president and an adviser to the foundation.

He credited the foundation’s executive committee, led by Vicky Roessler and her team of Nicole Shingle, Jen Mascaro and Jaime Caliguiri, as being the catalyst for “all of our success.”

“Likewise, the amazing, talented and diverse group of trustee members have been the driving and creative force in what we are building each and every week,” he said. “The school district has been an excellent support system and cannot go unnoted. Together, we expect to make a very real, very positive impact in the lives of all students here in Plum.”

The five goals of Rachel’s Challenge are to look for the best in others, dream big, choose positive influences, speak with kindness and to start your own “chain reaction” of kindness. The goals follow the same principles of the #BePlumPositive initiative that is hosted by the foundation for students in kindergarten through fourth grade at O’Block and Pivik elementary schools.

Recognized with O’Block’s “You have a SPOT” SPOTlight Award Recipients for Kindness are Raphella Aguda, Gracelyn Arelt, Emily Barnhart, Ava Casper, Kyron Casper, Sophia Coates, Dylan Colaizzi, Adalynn Depp, Annabelle Hoeltje, Zane Hosch, Vanessa Kirchner, Marina Klipa, Jocelynne Kovalcik, Christian Lenart, Emmett Mancine, Gigi Mease, Emma McCloskey, Joshua Nutter, Eligh Painter, Remington Probst, Owen Rings, Carmen Perez Alvarez, Michael Russell, Deacon Scullion, Isaac Thimons, Emma Tuskan, Peyton Walls and Bella Widlocher.

Pivik’s Positive Bus Behavior Award recipients are Lucy Consuega, Landyn Cook, Michaela Gardner, Damien Groncki, Peyton Kay, Harper Lawson, Gracie Leskovic, Zakkary Mason, Sophia McConnell, Fallon McHugh, Greyson Miller, Sawyer Onuscheck, Talia Alvarez Pedroso, Jennifer Reid, Madden Richardson, Ben Riley, Addison Smaglo, Logan Smaglo, Freya Spencer, Chayse Theys, Maelynn Tribendis, Brooklynn Tribendis, Sloane Tyska, Penelope Verinskie and Laniyah Wambua.