Mason City Council stood side-by-side with Mason Public Schools board members on Monday to recognize students and staff in a joint recognition ceremony.
The ceremony started more than 20 years ago, according to Mason City Clerk Sarah Jarvis.
When asked about the recognition for her son, Mason High School football player Brian Ingram during this ceremony, Kaysie Ingram said, “I felt proud of him. All of his hard work and dedication is not going unnoticed.”
Twenty-nine students and coaches were honored during this ceremony.
“Each recipient has their own day within the city,” said Jarvis.
Student athletes in football, soccer and cross country, as well as band members and Special Olympics athletes, coaches and partners, were recognized.
Becky Hinman, executive assistant to the superintendent of Mason Public Schools, said the ceremony began as a way to acknowledge students that were underrepresented and students who had great achievements.
Students are honored if they receive recognition at the state level in athletics, academics, music, arts or extracurricular activities. This includes valedictorian and salutatorian, Hinman said.
Students with special needs who have notable accomplishments are also recognized. At Monday’s ceremony, this included kids from the Special Olympics snowshoeing and basketball teams.
“Once we were there and knew everything it entailed, I wanted to cry. I am so proud of Brian. He has spent countless hours working on his football skills and putting in the work to make sure he is his best. He was in shock something like this even happened to him,” said Kaysie Ingram.
Over the years, criteria have changed.
“It grew to a point where it was almost unmanageable to hold, so representatives from the board of education and the City Council refined criteria,” said Hinman.
Hinman said, “It makes it more special for them.”
While working in her office Monday evening, upstairs from the ceremony, Hinman described hearing the cheers and celebration for the honorees downstairs.
Hinman and Jarvis are the coordinators behind this ceremony.
Starting in December, a nomination form is provided to different groups in the school system and the city council, said Jarvis.
The pair works hard to make sure the students and staff are properly honored. The appreciation from the honorees makes Jarvis feel good about the work she puts in.
“Over the years as I have watched these, I think it’s very important to the students that they are individually recognized. I know they take great pride in that,” Jarvis said.
Each school year, two ceremonies are held, one for the fall semester and one for the spring. One ceremony takes place before a city council meeting and the other before the school board meets. Monday’s ceremony took place before the evening city council meeting.
Another ceremony will be held at the end of the school year to recognize students from the spring semester.
Students recognized are:
Football: Brian Ingram, Cason Carswell, Derek Badgley, Kaleb Parrish, Hunley Horn, AJ Martell, Colin Page and Tyler Baker
Soccer: Lucas Nay, Blendi Jahiri and Dominic Casali
Cross country: Megan Ford
Band: Ethan Rice
Special Olympics coaches: Rachel Hyaduck, Sarena Zanger and Jodi Deroshia.
Special Olympics unified partners: Derick Zanger, Ashton Bergeon, Bryce Moore, Alex Redman, Logan Irwin and Caleb Ward
Special Olympics snowshoeing and/or basketball: David Ward, Danny Tuttle, Connor Niswonger, BJ Moore, Zach Fillinham, Jacob Dibean and Travis Hayhoe