Excellence of Rockwood Students, Staff Members Honored at May Board of Education Awards Ceremony

May 19, 2023

A Rockwood student smiles and holds his Above and Beyond Award with BOE members and administrators More than 300 Rockwood School District students and staff members were honored for their achievements during the Board of Education Awards Ceremony on May 18 at Lafayette High.

The Board of Education Award is one of Rockwood's most prestigious honors, recognizing students and staff members who have achieved the highest standards of excellence that embody the Rockwood spirit.

Representatives from all four high schools earned Board Awards, as well as students and staff members from all six middle schools, three elementary schools and Early Childhood Education. Board of Education President Jaime Bayes and Superintendent Dr. Curtis Cain welcomed attendees to the ceremony, and Cain and Board Directors Kary Bachert and Jessica Clark helped hand out the awards to students and staff.

Near the end of the program, one Parents as Teachers parent educator and students from four different schools were honored with Above and Beyond Awards for outstanding contributions through non-required service or volunteerism.

Parent educator Lisa Uffelmann was honored for showing extraordinary commitment to following up with one of her students and his family after he was diagnosed with hearing deficits. Ellisville Elementary student Ruth Martin and Rockwood Valley Middle student Wiley Keel were both honored for performing the Heimlich maneuver on friends who were in distress during lunch. Westridge Elementary student Evalyn Barger was honored for her actions in alerting adults about a toddler who was in danger of drowning during a pool party.

Hashem Maharmeh and the group of Kayne Wagner, Maria Thomas and Demond Mitchell -- all Wildwood Middle students -- were honored for two separate occasions of assisting a student who was having a seizure.

"Their dedication to help their classmates shows true compassion and bravery," Wildwood Principal Dr. Cassandra Suggs said during the ceremony. "Thank you all for jumping in to help a friend in need."

Click the link to see a program of the night's award recipients: Board of Education Awards program.

View and download photos from the ceremony at the Board of Education Awards page.

Watch a video replay of the ceremony on our YouTube channel.

A Rockwood parent educator holds her Above and Beyond Award and smiles with two administrators and two Board members. A Rockwood student smiles and holds her Above and Beyond Award with two administrators and two Board members A group of five Rockwood students smiles with two administrators and two Board members. A Rockwood musical group smiles with their director, two administrators and two Board members. Two Rockwood students smile with two administrators and two Board members. Four Rockwood students smile with two administrators and two Board members. A group of seven Rockwood students smiles with two administrators and two staff members Three Rockwood students smile with two administrators and two Board members.