MCPASD students continue to exemplify the key elements of a Cardinal’s Journey, the District’s future-preparedness framework that provides a comprehensive guide for student success.
District teachers and staff are celebrating students who demonstrate the four Cardinal Mindsets (Curious, Community-Oriented, Accountable, and Self-Aware) and the four Cardinal Foundations (Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, and Adaptability) by nominating them for a Cardinal’s Journey Award. The award from the Board of Education focuses on a different Mindset or Foundation each month, and the focus for March is the Collaboration Foundation.
Strong collaborators are those who prioritize respect while working with others to achieve a common goal. They make meaningful contributions to their groups, build relationships with others, make decisions with their team, and learn from team members while also enriching the learning environment of others.
Six Middleton High School (MHS) students won the award for excellence in collaboration: Cate Cassata, Mallak Gadelhak, Brad Koeller, Grace Lee, Tvisha Pundir, and Sanaa Waraich. Koeller, Lee, Pundir, and Waraich received their awards during the March 18 Board meeting, and Cassata and Gadelhak will receive their awards during a future event.
Superintendent Dr. Dana Monogue shared highlights from each student’s nomination and recognized the ways they model collaboration in their school community. Board of Education President Bob Hesselbein also presented the honorees with a certificate and a medal to celebrate their achievements.
Kromrey Middle School Associate Principal Eric Engel nominated Lee and Waraich.
In Lee’s and Waraich’s nomination form, Engel shared:
“It has been a privilege to collaborate with Sanaa Waraich and Grace Lee over the past two years as they developed a dedicated math tutoring program for our students. What began as a thoughtful 'wondering' during their junior year—identifying a need for greater math support at the middle level—has blossomed into a thriving service. After piloting the program with a single student last year, they have successfully expanded their reach to serve many more this year. Most impressively, they have coordinated every aspect of this initiative while navigating the rigors of their junior and senior years. I am incredibly proud of the initiative they’ve shown, the hurdles they’ve overcome, and the genuine compassion they bring to their students. Sanaa and Grace perfectly embody the spirit of collaboration, and their work has created a lasting, positive impact on our school community.”
MHS Occupational Therapist Laurie Wood nominated Pundir and Cassata.
In Pundir’s and Cassata’s nomination form, Wood shared:
“Tvisha and Cate are co-presidents for our Best Buddies Club at MHS. Best Buddies is a club that creates one-to-one friendships between people with and without intellectual and development disabilities. Each month, Cate and Tvisha collaborate with one another, other club members and leaders, their club advisors, and our state representative for Best Buddies Club International to create inclusive programming for all. They begin each club meeting with a presentation highlighting our club mission and vision, educational topics regarding Intellectual and Developmental disabilities, and lead engaging activities for all to participate in. They epitomize the qualities of A Cardinal's Journey especially in the area of collaboration and I'm so proud of them! Thank you both for all that you do to support inclusivity and kindness at MHS and in our MCPASD community!”
MHS Science Teacher Bri Carroll nominated Koeller.
In Koeller’s nomination form, Carroll shared:
“Brad consistently shows outstanding collaboration skills through his leadership, environmental advocacy, and ability to truly engage with anybody! As president of the high school’s Green Team, he clearly and passionately communicates complex environmental issues with the goal of inspiring his peers both in and outside of the club, as well as bringing these issues to the attention of MHS and District staff. He frequently facilitates problem-solving and collaborative conversations across diverse groups due to his leadership role. Additionally, Brad is on the city’s Sustainability Committee, which further highlights his ability to collaborate with adults and community stakeholders, share ideas, and represent student voices on a wider scale. Finally, Brad is simply fantastic at communicating his ideas and finding common ground, and he is incredibly driven to use those skills to make a difference.”
MCPASD Social-Emotional Learning and Mental Health Coordinator Melanie Moorehill nominated Gadelhak.
In Gadelhak’s nomination form, Moorehill shared:
“Mallak is an active collaborator within many clubs including Black Student Union, Model United Nations and National Honor Society. Through these memberships she has demonstrated an ease at building authentic relationships with peers and adults while actively contributing to collective goals. Throughout her high school career, she has also been a student leader for the High Schools' Respect Roundtables. She helped develop and hone this collaborative process to gain insight by working with, listening to, and understanding peers' perspectives on areas of growth and opportunity. She then works as a liaison to summarize and communicate this information from students to the adult leadership team. She embodies shared decision-making and emphasizes the benefit of diverse thoughts to generate viable solutions.”
Join us in congratulating all of these students on their achievements! Their awards follow earlier recognitions for the Communication Foundation as well as the Curious, Community-Oriented, Self-Aware, and Accountable Mindsets. In April, students will receive awards for demonstrating the Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Foundation.