Ascension Academy celebrates annual awards day with more than just awards – The Anniston Star

TALLADEGA Ascension Academy held its annual awards day celebration Thursday morning at the First Presbyterian Church.

For the first time, this years presentation included a combined performance by the Elementary School Choir with the assistance of some high school aged students as well. The performance kicked off with This Is Me from The Greatest Showman, which featured a performance by Summer Bice. The whole choir then sang The Carpenters Sing A Song, followed by Somewhere Over the Rainbow featuring Bice, Carmen Brown, Charity Brown, Jalie Bussie, Taleia Easterday and Jeremiah Shears.

The last selection was Tomorrow from the musical Annie, featuring Brantley Ramirez and Amelia Whitson.

But the real reason for the occasion came after the choir performance with the awarding of the years academic honors and recognition of achievements, including graduation.

Braelynn Ramirez graduated from Kindergarten to first grade Thursday, and Carmen Brown and Wyatt Swinford will be moving up from sixth grade (elementary school) to seventh grade..

The top two awards this year were the Directors Award for Appropriate Decisions, Self-Discipline and Determination, which went to Asia Turner; and the Presidential Award for Character and Academic Distinction, which went to David Brown.

The STAR Reading and STAR Math Awards for greatest growth during the year went to Braelynn Ramirez for K through second grade. According to Director of Education Linda Harris, who presented the awards, Braelynn started this year with us not knowing the letters in her name. She has now successfully completed all of the kindergarten state curriculum requirements and is reading and decoding short vowel sounds and reads many sight words. She is ready for first grade reading.

In math, Harris added, she moved from kindergarten to seven months into first-grade level.

Ascension Leadership Academy Choir performs during their awards ceremony.

Tran took the top reading honors for grades three through six, increasing his reading level by one year and five months, where the average student progresses by about nine months per school year.

In math, Brantley Ramirez is a first-grader who started the year on a second grade level and is currently reading at nine months into fourth-grade level, Harris said.

For grades three through six, Carmen Brown has increased math levels by one year and seven months during the past year.

The Elementary School Yearly Average All As award went to Hanson Tran, with elementary school students Carmen Brown, Nyla Brown, John Robert Gallahar and Ashlynn Howell being honored for yearly average all As and Bs.

At the secondary level, Regan Sewell was the only student to earn all As during the first semester. She was joined by Phaethon Brown, Brianna Nino and Ava Parker for second semester.

First semester all A and B honor students included Charity Brown, Damian Brown, David Brown, Phaethon Brown, Brody Howell, Ava Parker, Bailee Taylor and Turner.

Second semester A and B students included Charity Brown, Damian Brown, David Brown, Howell, Emma Lackey, Lainey Swinford, Heaven Tatum and Taylor.

Carmen Brown took top honors in the accelerated reading program, and Tran won the most improved writing award for this year.

Braelynn Ramirez and Nylah Brown were honored for completion of all Alabama Course of Study requirements in reading and math, and Wyatt Swinford was honored for meeting the reading requirement as well.

In keeping with recent tradition, the ceremony concluded with a series of piano recitals from students ranging from first grade to high school.

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Ascension Academy celebrates annual awards day with more than just awards - The Anniston Star