Thursday, Jun. 12, 2008

Pasco 8th-graders celebrate 3 years of success as other schools wrap up

By Sara Schilling, Herald staff writer

About 275 eighth-graders marched into the gym at Stevens Middle School in Pasco as the music swelled. It wasn't Pomp and Circumstance and they weren't wearing caps and gowns.

But they were saying goodbye.

The students received certificates for completing eighth grade in a promotion ceremony Wednesday night. It was standing-room only in the gym as proud parents craned to spot their kids and snap photo after photo.

Todays the last day of class in Pasco. Richland's last day was Wednesday and Kennewick schools wrap up classes Monday.

"Tonight is a night for celebration," Stevens Principal Robert Elizondo told the crowd during the ceremony. "These students have blossomed from insecure sixth-graders to ready and capable eighth-graders."

They made significant gains on the reading and math Washington Assessment of Student Learning, and 59 of them met standards on the state test in reading, writing and math, he said.

That's the most ever at the school.

Stevens students studied hard this year, played sports, went on college field trips and raised money for good causes, including providing clean water to Africa, school officials said.

Nearly 400 students signed pledges to keep their grades up and stay out of trouble through high school as part of a new state scholarship program. If they keep their word and meet a few other requirements, their college tuition is covered.

Washington State University Tri-Cities' GEAR UP program is part of why it was a successful school year, Elizondo said.

The federally-funded program helps students prepare and plan for college through tutoring, information, campus visits and technological support.

Rafael De Leon is the site director. He and the other GEAR UP staffers at Stevens worked with students in seventh and eighth grade and will continue helping them in high school. It was the program's first full year at Stevens.

Sarai Camacho, 14, an eighth-grader, visited Central Washington University this year with the school. It was one of the highlights of her middle school career, she said.

"It was a fun experience because most of us had never been there before," she said.

Classmate Luis Castillo, 15, Associated Student Body president, loved playing football for Stevens. He also had fun at the belching and pie-eating contests during pep assemblies, he said.

Jade Covington, 14, an eighth-grader, liked playing on the basketball team with her friend Misti Smith, 14.

"The staff is really great. You make friends really quick," Jade said. "It's kind of sad to go."

There were plenty of smiles and cheers as Jade, Misti and the other eighth-graders got their certificates. School officials read the students' names, shook their hands and listed some of their achievements, such as being on the honor roll or winning special awards.

Most of the kids dressed up -- boys in button down shirts and girls in skirts or dresses.

The stage was lined with yellow and black balloons in honor of the Stevens Tigers. There also were a few purple and white balloons for Pasco High School, where the students will go next school year.

"It's important to take to Pasco High all the lessons you learned here at Stevens," Elizondo told the students. "Although you're leaving the Tigers' den, you'll always be a Tiger, right?"

Everybody cheered.

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