By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
There was a whole lot of ‘green’ mixed in with the Purple and Gold at Union City Elementary School on Friday.
Nearly 150 students were rewarded with $50 cash each as an incentive payoff for excelling in TCAP testing last spring by Principal Allison Palmer and Vice Principals Bill Kail and Maggie Miller.
The building administrators handed out certificates that were later redeemed for money to 67 members of last year’s third-grade class and another 80 members of last year’s fourth-grade class, who were bused over from UC Middle School for the ceremony.
In all, $7,350 was given to deserving students who met or exceeded expectations on the reading, math, or both portions of the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program exam.
Additionally, 12 of those honorees were awarded additional prizes via a random drawing that saw a pair of iPads, two electric scooters, a pair of Nintendo Switches, two go-cart hoverboards, two $100 Amazon shopping sprees, and a pair of Beats headphones given away.
Among those prize recipients were:
Current 5th Graders
Kayleigh Singletary – Amazon Gift Card
Christiana Foster – Go-Cart Hoverboard
Nova Johnson – Nintendo Switch
James Wall – iPad
Ollie Keathley – Beats Headphones
Isaac Moreno – Electric Scooter
Current 4th Graders
Gabriel Becerra – Nintendo Switch
Jace Macyauski – Electric Scooter
Houston Frilling – iPad
Miles Sanders – Beats Headphones
Danilo Pastor – Go-Cart Hoverboard
Adler Hussey – Amazon Gift Card
Palmer also invited this year’s third-grade class to the ceremony as an incentive to motivate them to aspire to similar awards when that group takes the test in April 2027.
“We were certainly happy to reward our students for a job well done,” Palmer said.
“And I thought it was important for this year’s third-grade group to witness what can happen when you strive to do your best on the tests. They saw the genuine excitement on the faces of those students we honored, and I’m confident they’ll want to be among that group next year at this time.”