The Student of the Month project is sponsored by Soroptimist International of the Olympic Rain Forest. Students of the Month are chosen by their teachers and honored with their parents at school for consistently displaying respect and responsibility for their behavior and academic achievement and always making good choices.

Orion Aronson is eighth grade Boy of the Month. His parents are Lisa Joynes and Dale Aronson. Orion moved here two months ago from Lander, Wyo., where he lived most of his life. He likes Forks because it’s near the beach, and Kalaloch and Second Beach are his favorite spots. During the school day, his favorite classes are ScimaTech with Mr. Dillon and GeomARTry with Ms. Fournier. His favorite thing to do when he’s not in school is playing The Legend of Zelda, and his favorite movies are the Star Trek and Star Wars series.

His favorite food is steak with balsamic vinegar. Staff members have reported that Orion is friendly, enthusiastic, positive, innovative, trustworthy, creative, and a quick wit. They say that he asks excellent questions, is always willing to help others, has an intense curiosity, has a great sense of humor, is quiet but also paying attention to pretty much everything going on, listens to instructions, follows classroom expectations well, and is quick to volunteer answers or discussion points in class. One teacher said that he makes every class more interesting because he comes up with different ways of looking at things. Congratulations, Orion!

Saramichelle Tabor is eighth grade Girl of the Month. She goes by Sara, or “Sara with no H” to distinguish her from her seating partner in math, “Sarah with an H.” Her parents are Sonya and Samuel Tabor. The main things she likes during her school day are Band, English, and talking with her friends. When not in school, she loves reading, drawing and watching TV. Her favorite food is practically anything her father makes. Staff members report that Sarah is kind, patient, positive and enthusiastic.

They say that she is a pleasure to have in class, she has an excellent sense of humor, she works hard, she is always on task, she has a great personality, she is always open to conversation with anyone who wants to talk to her, she helps others and she is a positive role model for how a student should act in class and how to achieve success with grades. One teacher said, “Sara interacts positively with her peers as well as adults and I have never seen or heard her be disrespectful, ever. She shows maturity in everything she does.” Congratulations, Sara!

Leslie Hernandez-Beltran is seventh grade Girl of the Month. Her parents are Caritina and Benigno Hernandez-Beltran. Her favorite thing in the school day is spending time with friends. She loves reading horror and fantasy novels like “The Graveyard Book” and “Inkheart;” she also loves traveling to faraway places and being with her family. Her favorite food is pozole blanco. Teachers say Leslie is a critical thinker and an exemplary student.

Staff all report that she takes her role as a student seriously, she works hard, she gives her best in everything she does, she presents ideas to her peers that help drive conversations to a deeper level, she always turns in high-quality work, she is kind and conscientious of her actions and how they impact others around her, and when she knows she will be absent, Leslie stops by and asks for her work. One teacher said, “Leslie deserves to be student of the month because she is a friend to everyone. She has a positive attitude that is contagious, and I look forward to seeing her every day.”

Congratulations, Leslie!

Matt Jacobson is seventh grade Boy of the Month. His parents are Mark and Susan Jacobson. His favorite classes are math with Mr. Murray and science with Mrs. McCracken. His favorite things to do outside of school are football, basketball, bowling, and collecting Goosebumps books (he has 1-103). His favorite food is chocolate cream pie and BBQ ribs.

Staff members report that Matt is hard-working, friendly, respectful and kind to both his classmates and his teachers. They say that Matt is a kid that strives for excellence, he is a thoughtful learner, he adds depth to class conversations, he perseveres and is always looking for a challenge to help himself grow, he does high-quality work and strives to go above and beyond and that he has a great sense of humor. One teacher said, “When Matt is absent, he comes to my classroom the next morning to get the work he missed. Matt deserves to be student of the month because he is always willing to lend a hand to anyone in need.” Congratulations, Matt!

Congratulations to these October Students of the Month who received a certificate and a $25 gift card to Barnes and Noble. Students were honored with their parents at a pizza luncheon at the Junior High school. Congratulations to the October Students of the Month!