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B.U.G.ing out

New program in Clark schools encourages students to bring up grades

August 24, 2009|By Rachel Parsons

When Betty Berryman spoke to Karen Taylor's third-grade class at Fannie Bush Elementary, she had one question: "How many students would really like to be a bug?"

Every hand immediately shot up in the air.

Berryman is the Partners in Education coordinator for Clark County Community Education, and she presented information this morning to both third-grade classes at Fannie Bush about a new program, Bringing Up Grades (B.U.G.).

Bringing Up Grades is sponsored by the Winchester and Clark County Kiwanis clubs and offers incentives to all students who improve their grades. Students who already have straight A's can partner with their classmates who need extra help.

Every grading period, Kiwanis members will come in and recognize students on the B.U.G. honor roll and give away prizes such as bug pencils, rulers or pendants.

"We're excited to have them," said Karen Taylor. "Any kind of community involvement that supports the kids will be beneficial."

Berryman said that one of the benefits of B.U.G. is that it rewards students who don't typically receive a lot of praise or accolades.

"They're not the children who get the rewards or get recognized. Hopefully, that will be enough. Everybody will want to be a B.U.G.," Berryman said.

This year is the first time that B.U.G. has been implemented in Clark County schools, and third graders at all eight public schools will get to participate.

"This is a national Kiwanis program, and it has worked very well," Berryman said.

Fannie Bush Principal Angela Taylor is glad to have the program at her school, and eager to see how it benefits the students.

"All kids want to be successful and sometimes, even though they may take a step forward, they're not always recognized for it," Taylor said.

Taylor also said that she likes the way B.U.G. involves all kids, helping them set goals and be rewarded for their accomplishments.

"I think it's a very exciting program. … It gives all kids something to achieve and aspire to," Taylor said.

Contact Rachel Parsons at rparsons@winchestersun.com.

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