TOPPENISH — Votes are in and tallies are counted for the first ever Toppenish Middle School’s TMS Student of the Year Award Ceremony held last week. Students were showered with praises this spring as they were given the honored award of “Student of the Year.”
Students are chosen for monthly awards every year, but “this is the first time we’ve chosen students who display consistent excellent behavior throughout the entire year,” Ms. Ceja, TMS faculty said. 
Students of the year were voted by their staff based on academic excellence, attendance, leadership, and citizenship in their classrooms and around the campus, good behavior and good attitude. A boy and girl from each grade were chosen who fit these qualities.
“These students represent the kind of students we deal with everyday, most of our students display this character,” Mr. Wiseman, another faculty member said. He added, “a person outside of the TMS community said ‘my visit at Toppenish Middle School was the most pleasant, the students were the most helpful, and the environment was most dedicated to learning.’”
As the first ever award ceremony for student of the year, faculty opened the floor for parent comments.
Students were also recognized for Gear Up end of the year awards. Student of the Year recipients agree in their excitement over this award. 
“It feels great to be recognized for our hard work,” Molly Clayton, 8th grader at TMS said. 
Toppenish Middle School plans to continue this event as an annual award for their consistently great students.  
Students of the Year winners: 6th Grade - Andrea Cardenas and Adan Zarate, 7th Grade - Kennedy Mattern and Anthony Perez, 8th Grade - Molly Clayton and Adrian Pacheco.