For the past three years, Herrin High School has presented the Student of the Month award to four outstanding individuals each month who demonstrate the traits of a Herrin Tiger. The highlighted trait for February was gratitude, which is the quality of being thankful.
The chosen students for February were Keyasia Smith (9), Elliott Polley (10), Jamonta McKnight (11), and Isabella Ratchford (12).
Isabella Ratchford received the award for the senior class. She defined gratitude as the ability to “have compassion toward others and show appreciation for them, no matter the situation.” Although thankfulness is often the most common way people frame gratitude, Ratchford believes it extends beyond just that. “When someone is understanding and helps you out, it relieves that stress from you, which deserves much more than just thank you.” Additionally, she explained that gratitude is significant because the battles people deal with often are not seen, so having compassion and appreciation can go a long way. “If you see someone in the hallway, see how they are doing and show your gratitude for them,” Ratchford added. A teacher she sees demonstrate gratitude is Mr. Dan Johnson, which she says is because he is one of the easiest people to talk to and is always there to listen, show care, and want to help. Looking to college, Ratchford plans to attend Washington University to major in genetics and become a pediatric surgeon.
Junior Jamonta McKnight was also presented with this award. McKnight defined gratitude as “being kind to others by always trying to make their day better.” Both throughout the school day and beyond, he sees many opportunities to display gratitude, such as helping out with schoolwork and giving compliments. The most common way Mcknight says he demonstrates gratitude is by giving compliments to someone. “I love making sure other people have a smile on their face, especially because you never know what someone else is going through. Small things like that can make their day better,” McKnight elaborated. Mrs. Culver is a teacher McKnight sees exemplifying gratitude constantly, explaining that she is always cheerful and willing to help out with work. After high school, McKnight aims to go into a business-related field.
For the sophomore class, Elliott Polley was the recipient. On defining gratitude, Polley believes that it has a deeper meaning than just saying thank you. “Gratitude also includes showing appreciation and connection. When someone helps me, it takes time from their day. Polley feels that showing gratitude is important, mainly because “it is how you show you truly care. If you do not say thank you to someone, you are ignoring the effort they have poured into you.” In terms of ways to show gratitude, he listed several ways, including saying thank you when someone does something for you, helping that person in return, and just being grateful for what someone else provided. Polley named Mr. Trent Johnson as a teacher who shows gratitude because he “always is appreciative and gives out his time, but he never expects anything in return.” Throughout the rest of high school, Polley aims to continue going through high school with a high GPA and seeks to eventually become an anesthesiologist.
Keyasia Smith was the recipient of the award for the freshman class. To Smith, gratitude means “being thankful, regardless of the circumstances.” Throughout each day, she encourages others to show gratitude by writing encouraging messages to others and always giving your full attention and respect. Adding to this, Smith stated, “You should always make an effort to add happiness to someone’s day. Make sure you’re doing the best you can at being uplifting.” Mrs. Apgar is a teacher Keyasia points to as demonstrating gratitude daily because she “always checks to make sure everyone understands what we are learning and is happy every day she comes into class.” Keyasia dreams of going to college and becoming a teacher.
The trait of gratitude is essential for showing thankfulness to others for what they have done for you. The four standout students who were given this award have gone above and beyond to demonstrate their appreciation for those around them. Stay tuned for this year’s last Student of the Month edition in early April.
