As the school year comes to a close, SIS students will soon be setting foot into a well-deserved break from their busy school lives. Throughout the school year, many have had schedules compact with studying for various exams and participating in extracurricular activities—all while making enjoyable memories with friends. This spring semester, students exhibited their talents in afterschool activities, such as badminton, soccer, and swimming. In classroom settings, numerous students displayed traits characterized as commendable to their teachers. Their hard work does not go unnoticed, but, instead, is rewarded through SIS’s many award ceremonies.

“We have two separate award categories: one is an academic award and one is our Tiger Values awards. Students who foster and culture types of effect for their peers and with the teacher in class are probably best placed to be recognized for the Tiger Values award. I think that on the academic side, teachers are fairly consistent; they are looking for a student who excels academically in the class but also complements the learning environment. I don’t know if parents and students know how much we struggle with awards, because it is not really easy; so many students are closely grouped and do so well that sometimes it is difficult,” Dr. Gerhard, high school principal, said. “Culminating activities that revolve around showing personal accomplishment and growth are all benchmarks to the conclusion of a period of time, so we put an emphasis on the closing of the year by recognizing the personal accomplishments students had.”

Students who showed great effort in sports were spotlighted by coaches who handed them the “sports and activities award” for both girls and boys divisions. Due to a change in air quality, the awards for forensics, band, strings, choir, and drama shifted to the gym. These exemplary students received pins, certificates, and medals rewarding them for their hard work and endurance in their designated classes. 

“I feel accomplished and as though my hard work has paid off,” Kelly Sung (9), a freshman who received awards this year, said. “It motivates students like myself who are freshmen to work harder in the following years. I want to do better, get more prestigious awards, and achieve more goals as time passes.” 

To end the semester and the year on a high note as the final weeks of school approach, students often put more pressure upon themselves. The awards, however, act as an additional factor of motivation for students to work hard during the few remaining weeks. On May 31, everyone from freshmen to juniors can look forward to an awards ceremony dedicated to active, scholarly engagement in the classroom setting, similar to the seniors’ awards ceremony that took place on April 28. Though students are not incentivized to work hard simply for the awards, they definitely act as additional encouragement for students to continue their hard work until the very end of the school year. These awards at SIS denote and congratulate students for their year-long commitment and tenacity. 

“I definitely think the awards from the awards ceremonies motivate students to perform better in classes, and I also feel that the awards are reasonable, considering that the students are being recognized for their efforts. By teachers choosing students who show resilience and participation within the subject, students feel the necessity to thrive in the given field,” Hannah Yoo (12), award-winning senior, said. “Awards ceremonies were always a very meaningful event for me. Because it was my last time attending, I felt sad that my high school journey was over, but I also felt proud that I earned a couple of awards.”