Students and faculty were recognized for showing good character at the Awesome Atoms Character Awards Ceremony on April 26 in the Bistro during W4.

“I was shocked when I found out I was going to receive this because I got home at midnight from our trip to Disney and found out that the ceremony was the next day,” marketing teacher Lindsey Zivney said. “I was really honored and excited even though I don’t know what I did that was so outstanding besides being myself and doing what I do every day.”

Recipients of the award were given a plaque with their certificate and will receive t-shirts later in the year.

“I found out yesterday that I was receiving this award and I was really surprised,” junior Thien Mai said. “I didn’t really know what it was about at first, but it’s an honor to receive it.”

“Character education isn’t on the SOL,” Assistant Principal Joe Thompson said. “It’s not easy to battle for the attention when everyone is focused on the intellectual gain.”

The Character Education Team is made up of psychology teacher Katie Gould, Student Achieving Model Program coordinator Hassan Mims and guidance counselor Ilana Reyes.

“This award was created to recognize students and staff for their outstanding character,” the Character Education Team said in a collective statement. “These students and staff are exemplary representatives of our greater AHS community.The group that was selected for this academic year is simply a representation – a very small sample – of all of the wonderful, hardworking, and caring adults we have in this building. We look forward to recognizing more and more faculty and staff as the years go on.”

Students and faculty enjoyed a breakfast provided by the culinary department before being called up individually to receive their award. A short statement was said about each student’s character that had been provided by their guidance counselor.

“I hope that this ceremony recognizing great character becomes one of the many traditions at AHS,” Thompson said.

Students that received the award were Samira Abdulkadee, Colleen Adenan, Drew Berdo, Austin Chavez, Nina Fairman, Kelvin Fuentes,Khalil Haj-Assaad, Oumaima Kaabi, Molly Keck, Island Astrid Ligonde, Thien Mai, Charlie Montano, Emmanuel Ngobeh, HersonPalma-Ascencio, Kylie Reagan, Larry Ridley, Yassmin Shamma, Matthew Stevens, Gloria Umutoni and Brenda Velasco.

Faculty that received the award included math teacher Jan Austin, science teacher Yaara Crane, special education teacher Xiara Davis, english teacher Amy Graham, ESOL teacher Nick Liacopoulos, gym teacher Dave O’Hara, special education teacher Ellen Ordonez, french teacher Joelle Rudney, social studies teacher Meghan Saladino, business teacher Helen Silberminz, guidance counselor Linda Wheeler and marketing teacher Lindsey Zivney.