DeKalb County High School released its monthly awards last week, honoring a student, teacher, and parent or guardian for the month of March. Each winner received a certificate and a gift card from DJ’s Pizza and Steakhouse in Alexandria. A different restaurant offers a meal gift card to each month’s honorees.

Sara Young was named as Teacher of the Month. “Ms Young is one of our teacher leaders here at DCHS,” said DCHS Assistant Principal Thomas Cagle. “She is on the instructional team. She is a level 5 teacher and has been a mentor and helper to me since I have been here as a teacher. She does so much for the students here. She is part of the Tiger Boutique where we do the clothing donations for the students who are in need.

“She is also in charge of the special needs prom,” Gagle continued. “She does so many wonderful things for our students and for the administration here this is just a small way for us to tell her thank you for all the things she does.”

“This is an honor and I am so thankful,” said Young. “It’s been stressful getting things ready for Special Needs Prom, so this is a good boost. I want to take this time to thank the community, because without their support for that we couldn’t have Tiger Boutique and the clothes to give away. We wouldn’t be able to have Special Needs Prom, especially this year because we’ve had to go solely off of donations, not being able to hold a fund raiser this year.”

“This is my 10th year as a teacher and I have been here at DCHS all 10 years. I teach math. I have taught Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, and Statistics. I also teach a service learning course. This course allows general education students to pair up with students with special needs in CDC. The general education students work as a peer buddy with them and help them work on social skills, life skills, and educational skills that are identified as needs for the student with special needs,” Young continued.

The parent or guardian of the month honor went to Sherry Daniels based on an essay written by her niece, 17-year-old DCHS Junior Aleaha Miller.

“Sherry Daniels is Aleaha Miller’s aunt,” Cagle explained. “Aleaha wrote an essay just describing the many different ways Ms Daniels has been able help her and provide for her throughout her life. Her essay was very well written. Aleaha is a very good student here at the school. She is on a science club field trip today, so she couldn’t be here to talk about it. We couldn’t be more proud to be able to honor her and her aunt through this essay and contest.”

“It is an honor,” Daniels said. “I’m really happy and proud that she thinks of me in that way. I try as hard as I can with her and her brothers, taking care of and raising them. She is a very good student and niece. She is on the A-B Honor Roll and tries her hardest, and works at Kilgores too. She is on the tennis team and is involved with everything to do with music and singing including the musical plays. I love her and thank her for nominating me.”

The Student of the Month award was presented to Alyssa Crook, the 16-year-old daughter of Randy and Amber Crook.

“Alyssa was nominated for her efforts, specifically through 4-H and all the wonderful things she has been able to do for the 4-H program this year,” said Cagle. “She is a model student. She is quiet but works hard and earns good grades. She is just an excellent student and is a great example for the rest of our students here at the school. She exemplifies the characteristics we want from our students and we look forward to seeing how she grows and what she does after she leaves DeKalb County High School,” said Cagle.

“It was surprising,” Crook said. “I wasn’t expecting it.”

Alyssa, lives on a farm with her parents and younger brother and sister Benjamin and Abby Crook, and said she loves farm life and enjoys raising sheep. As a student, Alyssa is also active in the FFA and 4-H having recently attended both the state FFA Convention and 4-H Congress. After she graduates, Alyssa said she plans to go to college and become a veterinarian.

“These awards are a way for us to acknowledge students who are performing exemplary each month. This isn’t always going to be for your straight “A” student. It’s for those putting in the effort to make DeKalb County better each and every month. Every teacher can nominate a student and all teachers vote on the student nominated. Teachers are voted on by the administration. The parent of the month award is determined by student essays. Students can write an essay each month and nominate their parent for a chance to win. In the essays, students can highlight things the parents are doing in their life outside of school that we may not know about,” said Cagle.