Island Students Earn Prizes for Good Work, Behavior
By Leslie Rott

Eighth grader Arial Leeper (from left), 11th grader Miranda McMahon, and 8th grader Piper Ryan display the tickets earned last semester.

Signing yearbooks, cleaning out lockers, watching the yearbook video, and having an auction are all part of the last day of school for students in grades eight through 12 at Mackinac Island Public School.

For all of their hard work during the past semester, the high school students were awarded tickets for good behavior, good work, or for just being good people. Tickets could be used at an auction on the last day of school, June 3, where they were able to bid on items ranging from candy and games to tickets to a water park.

Students had a good time as teachers tried to make the simplest of items sound interesting. Teacher Susan Bennett said a package of highlighting pens is ideal “for the educationally motivated students.”

“They’re guaranteed to be the highlight of your life,” added teacher Jessica Clark.

A package of candy was “for early morning, when you need that pep.”

“Hopefully, you’ll never be late for class,” Mrs. Bennett said of a magnetic locker clock.

The biggest ticket item was a digital camera, which went for a bid of 38.5 tickets, followed by a package of miniature candy bars, which went for a bid of 20 tickets, and a bouncy ball, worth 14 tickets.

This is the first year for the auction, said Mrs. Bennett, which was adopted from an event that teacher Karen Allen has been hosting in grades 6 and 7.

Mrs. Bennett said she thinks the auction is a good idea because it is a nice way to reward students for the positive things that they do. Students earn tickets for good deeds, and they get a ticket for every three consecutive homework assignments that they complete, encouraging them not just to be good people, but to be good students.

Teacher Nicole Helsel said the auction is a good idea because students are receptive to motivation.

Prizes for the auction are donated by the school staff.