Last week, Bellwood-Antis Middle School students gathered in the cafeteria for a pizza party and to honor fellow eighth grader, Kara Salmon.
Earlier this year, Bellwood eighth graders worked on posters depicting “What I discovered in the discovering module at www.educationplanner.org”.
Students worked in the computer lab, looking up careers and salaries, utilizing the American Education Services website, “Education Planner”. They then based their posters on the information they gathered.
The students worked hard on their creations and were promised a pizza party if a Bellwood-Antis student won the contest.
As the students gathered last week for their party, middle and high school art teacher Paula Carlson addressed the class.
“Everyone had great posters,” Carlson told students, “but the people that judged saw something unique in Kara’s poster.”
Marian E. Hargrave, Assistant Regional Director of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, also spoke to the students.
After congratulating the participants, Hargrave said she saw the posters and was very impressed by the students’ work.
Kara was then presented with a $1,000 check for the Bellwood-Antis Middle School. She also received several gifts including a Penn State University sweatshirt and art supplies.
A council of students, including Kara, will help decided how the middle school will use the $1,000.
Carlson also announced Kara was named as the recipient of the 2006 Dorothy Markley Nearhoof Middle School Art Award. Along with having her name engraved on a plaque displayed outside of the art room, Kara also received $100.
This is the second year for the Pennsylvania Middle School Association poster contest, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. Approximately 15 schools from southwestern Pennsylvania participated in the contest. Each school submitted 10 posters to be judged.
“One of the reason Kara’s poster won was because it came full circle,” said Hargrave, “her poster showed how to get from this grade level to the career she chose.”
Kara’s parents, Jim and Tracey Salmon, were also on hand at the check presentation.
