By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Around 400 Union City Middle School students were honored last week for their performances on the TCAP tests taken at the conclusion of the 2023-24 school year.
UCMS Principal Lance Morgan, Vice Principal Cole McAdams, and Guidance Counselor Mary Wiggins presided over ceremonies at the Civic Auditorium, which saw more than 90 percent of last year’s student body recognized for stellar work.
Morgan said nearly $10,000 worth of cash and prizes was given to students who either excelled on the tests or improved their previous years’ scores in a unique incentive-based program.
Students received $15 for earning a ‘4,’ $10 for a ‘3,’ and $5 for a ‘2’ or ‘1.’ They were also awarded monetarily for improving on their previous test(s). With each exam’s success, their names were also added to a random drawing for several prizes, including a Play Station 5, a hoverboard, a bicycle, Apple Air Pods, and a Bluetooth speaker.
Eleven students made all ‘4s’ on the tests and received either $60 or $45 – depending on the number of tests taken. Among those were Maris Anderson, Bo Bondurant, Jacion Courtney, Molly Dean, Dean Hamburg, Cooper Waggoner, Chloe Baumgardner, Garrison Bunch, Kipton Powers, Wes Worrell, and Lindsey Del Valle.
Winners in the random prize drawing were:
Apple Air Pods – Mark Pearson
JBL Bluetooth Speaker – Ryan Bui
Hover Board – Ayden Lewis
Bicycle – Devon Bean (India Watson)
Play Station 5 – Bo Bondurant
In a random act of kindness, Bean opted to give back the bike so that a member of the fifth-grade class might win the prize. India Watson had her name drawn and was the recipient.
There was also a surprise drawing for 5th graders, during which 10 students received $50.
Winners included Rani Bui, Emma Claire Creswell, Ja’Kyhlien Johnson, Gabriel Vallee, Felipe Maldonado, Briana Phillips, Amalie Pigg, Alexa Serrano, Layne Jorge, and Jensen Stennett.
“I’m so proud of our students for their efforts on the TCAP, and I do believe their scores indicate how well they prepared and how seriously they took the challenges,” Morgan said. “I’m also happy that our school system was able to provide the incentives to reward them and hope it prompts coming classes to succeed in the future as well.”