Students learn important life lessons

By Dan King

Whitehall Elementary School students got a lesson in respect, responsibility and results last Friday.

Principal Rich Trowbridge brought the Whitehall varsity football team and varsity cheerleading team to the elementary school to show how respect and responsibility translate to results.

“These kids really look up to the football players and cheerleaders and all our varsity athletes,” he said.
The kickoff of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), as it’s called, is a part of the overall message at the elementary school.

During the event, Trowbridge had the players try to run a play, which failed. Then after a huddle, with Trowbridge preaching respect and responsibility, the team completed a pass, thus getting results.

“That’s what happens when you work hard and work as a team – touchdowns,” Trowbridge told the packed gymnasium. “I’m sure we’ll have plenty of touchdowns at this school this year.”

After the football drill, the cheerleaders led a chant about respect, responsibility and results, which was joined – loudly – by the elementary students.

The overall program aims to teach students to use these three pillars in daily life through incentives. For each positive activity performed, a student is awarded a ticket, and each day a ticket is drawn from one of three buckets, reading “respect,” “results,” and “responsibility,” and the student whose name is drawn wins a prize.

“The Railroader of the Day gets a treat,” Trowbridge said. “It could be a dance party, a movie or even ice cream.”
Trowbridge said that the school’s athletes and many other students who perform extracurricular activities are perfect role models for elementary kids.

“I hope when you boys and girls get to the high school you play sports or sing music,” he told the kids. “Do all the great things that makes Whitehall a great place.”