The 2021-22 school year has been full of changes. One of these main changes is the new Army parking spot in the student lot.
The Army parking spot is given to a student that displays the “Army Core Values” around school. Principal Ric Stranges said he doesn’t just randomly pick a student, though.
“There is a drop box right outside the office for any student to report any acts of kindness they see around the building,” Stranges said.
When a student witnesses another student showing kindness around the school, they can stop by the front office and fill out the witness form. On this form, they just have to fill out the name of the student who showed some sort of kindness, as well as the description of the event, and their own name at the bottom of the form.
Stranges said that at the end of the month, he reads all the notes in the box, then decides who he feels best deserves it. Afterwards, he then sets up a meeting with the person who reports the act and the people involved to sit and talk about what happened.
“It’s a nice way to sit down with the students and talk more about the specific event,” Stranges said.
Staff Sergeant Craig Canfield, from the Delaware Recruiting Office, initially reached out to the school to set up the parking spot for students who show these principals.
“We love doing things with the school, you know, we try to support them as much as possible,” Canfield said.
The first student who was awarded this spot was senior Noah Sparkman in November. This month, the spot was given to junior Scout Price, who was awarded the spot after helping a family in distress.
“I really appreciate the spot, honestly,” Price said, “I mean it’s right up front, it’s a nice spot.”
If a student who doesn’t have their license were to be rewarded the parking spot, they have the option to trade it for a dinner coupon at McDonalds.
Stranges and SSG Canfield said that they hope to keep the parking spot in place for future years, or have something else in place to reward students who show random acts of kindness around the building.
“I like to recognize the students who are doing good deeds,” Stranges said. “I think monthly recognition and acknowledgement when random acts of kindness are occurring is important.”