As part of its Student of the Month program, the Big Sky School District honored four students in December for exemplifying risk taking.
Teachers choose two “students of the month” from kindergarten through fourth grades and two in middle and high school, recognizing them based on a different theme every month.
The students are honored during an assembly before teachers and fellow students. In addition, the k-4 honorees are rewarded with a burger from The Corral, and the chosen middle and high school students get pizza from Blue Moon Bakery.
K-2 Student of the Month – Geno DiTullio, second grade
Geno has done a terrific job of taking healthy risks. In the classroom, he uses bold new techniques in his writing, and challenges himself to choose higher grade-level books when he’s reading.
Outside of the classroom, he pushes himself in everything he does and takes chances to become better. When something doesn’t work out, Geno learns from it and continues to try new things, both in and out of the classroom.
3-4 Student of the Month – Emmy Tatom, second grade
Although all students take a healthy academic and personal risk by 
entering the classroom each day, Emmy is one student who particularly stands out. She is a fourth grader who continually finds the courage to take healthy risks by asking questions.
Emmy tries new and often innovative ways to solve problems, both academically and personally – she comes in each day with the confidence that no matter how the day unfolds, she does everything in her power to be a better student when the bell rings. With her tenacity and willingness to take healthy academic and personal risks each day, it is my hope that Emmy’s peers will look to her as a positive role model in fourth grade and beyond.
Ophir Middle School Student of the Month – Sophia Robertson, eighth grade
Sophia defines an academic risk taker in every aspect of classroom life. Courageous about sharing her thoughts and ideas, Sophia allows her peers and friends to gain both confidence and perspective through her fearless academic curiosity.
Asking as many questions as she answers, Sophia is unafraid to use her intellect to build bigger concepts and understanding.
Lone Peak High School Student of the Month – Solae Swenson, ninth grade
Solae exemplifies the risk taker in education because she wants to 
learn, and challenges herself by putting herself “out there.” She wants to verify and expand her learning and is never afraid to speak up and ask or answer questions, whether she is right or not.
Solae also exemplifies risk taking in the arts and sports. She is unafraid to share her talents with her voice and when it comes to sports she jumps in with both feet. This is evident by her presence on the cheer squad, her achievements as an all-conference freshman on the varsity volleyball squad, as well a member of junior varsity basketball team. Solae succeeds because she takes risks and goes for it!
