TJ names Cougars of the Month

Thomas Jefferson Middle School announced the October Cougars of the Month for both seventh and eighth grades.

The award spotlights students who best “Respect the PAW” -- Perseverance, Attitude and Wise Choices -- at the school.

Seventh-grader Mariana Perez Gonzalez has a 4.0 GPA for the first quarter, but confesses math is her most-challenging subject. “I like math a lot because it’s difficult. I always try my best to get good grades in math because I think that if I could pass that difficult subject, I am could pass all my classes.”

The perseverance Mariana demonstrates inside the classroom has earned her the right to be recognized as Cougar of the Month.

Also selected for October’s seventh-grade honor was Manuel Frausto, who has shown himself to be a student inside and outside the classroom. His teachers attribute his positive attitude and dedication to academics as qualities that help him succeed in the classroom.

“I am most proud of being Cougar of the Month,” Manuel Frausto said.

In addition, eighth-grader Priscilla Raya honored. Priscilla has earned a 4.67 GPA.

When asked what a successful school year would look like, Priscilla responded, “A successful school year at the end will look like getting straight A’s for all four quarters and hopefully receiving valedictorian,” she said. “It will feel great because I want to know that I made my parents proud and made it worthwhile for all the late nights of homework.”

Also, eighth-grader Fernando Rodriguez Villanueva was honored.

His progress report grades weren’t where we wanted them to be, so he dedicated himself to improving them.

At the end of the first quarter, he stated, “I feel good about earning Cougar of the Month because it means that I did good with my grades and behavior.”