LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — Unity Elementary students are being recognized for their hard work and academic achievements.
Around 40 students will take part in the “Get ‘Dem Grades” (GDG) Honors Program, which rewards students with fun activities both in and out of school. The program is open to students in second through sixth grade who maintain a 3.0 grade point average or higher, demonstrate respect at school and maintain good attendance.
Around 40 students will take part in the “Get ‘Dem Grades” (GDG) Honors Program.
Organizers launched the program to encourage a lifelong love of learning.
“So, only way for us to do that is by reaching kids early in elementary school and making academics fun for them,” said Jeffery Kirkman, a representative of the GDG Honors Reward Program. “We want to make sure we have outside and inside school activities so that it is fun for them, so that we can get more people to be part of the GDG program. Because again, we want to raise the academic level in the Lima community.”
While GDG focuses on elementary school success, organizers hope to track students' progress in the years ahead.
“We want to monitor these kids through the next 10 years,” Kirkman said. “Hopefully, this group—this group here, this was our kickoff, our pilot program, that we can follow these kids in the next 10,12, years and kind of see how they do, see if they continue being GDG kids all through K through 12. Or I should say, second grade through 12, and see if they can remain being those GDG kids keeping their grades up and then watching them as they're going to post education, and see how far they go.”
Unity Elementary is the pilot school for the GDG program, but Kirkman said he hopes to expand it to other schools in Lima in the future.
