April 2024 Learner of the Month, C.A.K.E. Recipients

Congratulations to Aspen Dueling, a 5 th grade learner attending Chubbuck Elementary, and Briggs Budge, an 7th grade learner attending Alameda Middle School, who were chosen as the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25 April C.A.K.E. award recipients. C.A.K.E. stands for Character, Attitude, Kindness and Encouragement.

Aspen was nominated by counselor, Mrs. Paige Warfield. In her nomination letter, Mrs. Warfield wrote, “The world is cruel, therefore I won’t be”.

“I think of this quote when I think of Aspen. Despite facing her own challenges, Aspen consistently demonstrates empathy and compassion towards her peers. She has put in a lot of effort to help herself AND others grow this school year. These are the kinds of qualities we seek in our student leaders at Chubbuck. A recent instance that comes to mind is Aspen’s action at Lunch Academy, where students stay in during recess to complete unfinished tasks. Though school can be hard for Aspen, she decided to give up her free time to assist a fellow learner. This was not easy, as the learner she was assisting can be challenging to work with. Over a period of 45 minutes, Aspen exhibited admirable patience and encouragement as she guided this learner through multiple assignments. The interaction between the two of them was touching, and I could see how much it meant to the other learner when Aspen was so kind and supportive. When I commented on the interaction, Aspen’s face lit up and she told me, ‘I just really like helping people.’ I hope she maintains this attitude throughout her life. Navigating through school can be challenging, and life can present unforeseen obstacles. However, kindness costs nothing but means everything. Our school is lucky to have a compassionate learner like Aspen.”

Briggs was nominated by his teacher Mrs. Mindy Bang. In her nomination letter, Mrs. Bang wrote, “Briggs Budge is a very kind and caring person. He always has a smile on his face and he is willing to help everyone around him. He works hard in class and he encourages others to do the same. This trimester in our Career Explorations class, he sits by another student who transferred to Alameda during the second trimester. This student is an English Language Learner and speaks only a little English. Briggs has made friends with him through his kindness, smile, and some creative translating. He regularly takes time to help this other student understand the assignment and then helps him finish it. Briggs has done all of this without any asking from me. He has taken the initiative to help the other student feel welcomed and part of their table. I appreciate Briggs’ thoughtfulness and great attitude. He makes teaching joyful.”

Aspen and Briggs were recognized at the Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Johnson Family McDonald’s provides each learner and their nominators with a gift card, along with $50 to purchase books for the school’s media center in the recipients’ names.

PCSD 25 believes a safe, supportive, caring and respectful environment is critical to student learning. The District Education Foundation, in partnership with the local Johnson Family McDonald’s, supports the Learner-of-the-Month C.A.K.E. Award to recognize students who show great character. The district recognizes one elementary learner and one secondary learner from October through May. Nominations for the C.A.K.E. Award are submitted by a teacher who has observed the nominee’s behavior, and are approved by the school’s principal.