Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Academic Awards Planned At PES

Prescott Elementary School will present the President's Education Award program (PEAP), formerly called the Presidential Academic Fitness Award program, Friday, May 11, at 2:00 p.m. in the Prescott High School auditorium.

PEAP was established in 1983 to honor students for their high achievement and hard work. Since then more than 17 million students have been honored by this recognition program. It will be given to 31 fourth grade students who fulfill all the criteria for these awards.

The program consists of two awards: the President's Award for Educational Excellence and the President's Award for Educational Improvement. For each award, students receive special certificates signed by the president, the U.S. Secretary of Education, the principal and an attractive lapel pin featuring the Presidential Seal.

The criteria to receive these awards are the following:

President's Award for Educational Excellence:

This award was established to encourage students to achieve high academic standards by recognizing and rewarding them for educational excellence. The certificate for this award is gold and white for each exit grade. The lapel pin is blue and gold for elementary students. This year there is no limitations on the number of awards each school may give for an exit grade providing the students meet the following criteria:

Grade point average Students are to earn a grade average of 90 on a 100 point scale or a 3.5 overall average for fourth grade, which is the exit grade at PES.

School standards standards of achievement for the award are established by the school which reflect standards of excellence equivalent to a 90 percent level or higher on the traditional grading scale.

In addition to two above schools are to include one or more of the following two criteria to determine their selected students: Standardized achievement test  achieve in the 85th percentile or higher in math or reading  and recommendation from a teacher plus one other staff member.

President's Award for Educational Improvement:

The purpose of this award is to recognize students who show outstanding educational growth, improvement, commitment or intellectual development in their academic subjects.

The certificate is silver and white for each exit grade. The lapel pin is white and gold for all levels.

The following are examples of the criteria for which the President's Award for Educational Improvement are presented:

Students who show tremendous growth and improvement in their academic achievement.

Unusual commitment to learning and improving in academics despite various obstacles.

A student's illness, personal crisis, and or special needs prevented the student from maintaining such high standards during the year.

Students with excellent school records who do not meet each criterion for the President's Award for Educational Excellence.