Grade-schoolers cap off a year of achievements

BARKHAMSTED — Barkhamsted Elementary School capped off an eventful academic year earlier this month with ceremonies honoring a number of award-winning students.

Among this year’s honorees was sixth-grader Acacia Farber Krug, who won the school’s John Eastman Award. Presented by the Eastman family, the award recognizes a sixth-grade girl each year who has demonstrated leadership, civic pride and good scholarship. Acacia received a plaque and a $100 savings bond as part of the award.

Barkhamsted Elementary School also presented its Spencer Pelchat Caring Award to two students, Abbie Kittredge and Patrick Newkirk, both in the sixth grade. The award is given to students who exhibit kindness, a caring nature, friendliness, honesty and a willingness to put others before themselves.

Finally, students Kendra Anstett and Joe Pelletier received the Barkhamsted School Principal’s Award at an end-of-year ceremony. The award goes to students who demonstrate a strong work ethic and character, never give up, have a positive attitude and are kind and caring toward classmates and teachers. Barkhamsted Elementary School Principal Joanne Sciola presented the award to Kendra and Joe at a school ceremony.

In addition to receiving individual awards, students from Barkhamsted Elementary School participated in programs dedicated to good health and preserving the environment. For the last two months of the school year, students joined staff in an exercise program every day, walking, running, biking and even swimming to log in enough miles to cover a cross-country trip.

During the program’s first week in April, students began school with an early-morning walk, which quickly logged in enough miles to get them across Connecticut, New York and into Pennsylvania. A school-wide participatory walk took place at the end of the year to log in the final 300 miles, finishing a virtual trip to Crescent City, Calif. The total distance was 2,821 miles.

“The program was great fun and a good way to bring the entire school together to promote good health,� said Barkhamsted Superintendent Jeff Linton.

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