December 2011 students of the month include, front from left, Emma McCrorey, Emmaline Bonczynski, Mason Keller and Riley Stack; and back from left, Rury Rodeo Cano (from November), Hannah Whitaker and (not shown) Gabe Kasper.

Dowagiac Board of Education Wednesday night at City Hall honored December students of the month, including Patrick Hamilton second-grader Riley Stack, middle school seventh-grader Hannah Whitaker, Justus Gage second-grader Mason Keller, Kincheloe second-grader Emmaline Bonczynski, Sister Lakes second-grader Emma McCrorey, Union High freshman Gabriel Kasper and, from November, Kincheloe third-grader Rury Rodeo Cano.
Students of the month receive plaques and Chieftain Hero T-shirts printed with their names on the back.

Riley Stack
Riley, a student in Shelley Kurland’s class, comes to school every day eager to learn and would like to be a teacher when she grows up because she likes to help others.
She comes in with bright smiles, ready for each day’s challenge. She is always willing to help any one of her 28 friends in class who needs help.
If anyone gets hurt, Riley is always the first person to see if they are alright.
Her favorite subject is math. Her favorite colors are purple and green.
Riley, daughter of Matt and Terry Stack, was presented by Principal Heather Nash.

Hannah Whitaker
Hannah, 13, is the daughter of Jennifer and Dennis Whitaker. She has a 9-year-old sister, Greta, at Kincheloe. Principals Mike Frazier and Matt Severin introduced her.
Hannah plays clarinet for the DMS band and is on the volleyball team.
She is an accomplished softball player for Nicky Hulett’s travel team. She was nominated by Mrs. Hulett, who teaches her favorite class, science.
Hannah would like to attend the University of Notre Dame, but it doesn’t have a marine biology department and becoming a marine biologist is her life’s ambition.
She credits her school success with focusing on good grades and trying to be helpful.
“I nominated Hannah,” Mrs. Hulett said, “because she is an all-around lovely young lady. She is a very hard-working and definitely a motivated student. Hannah always has a smile on her face when she comes to class. Her classmates enjoy her personality and look up to her as a leader.”

Mason Keller
Mason, in Sarah Proctor’s class, is the son of Danielle Lott and Neil Keller and is the older brother of Marcus. Kincheloe Principal Dawn Conner pinch-hit for Justus Gage Principal Marcy Hendress and Justus Gage teacher Carrie Soderbloom also presented Mason.
Mason works hard every day in school. The soccer player enjoys solving math problems, reading books and using the Smartboard.
Mason consistently follows directions, volunteers to help others and asks for challenge activities.
Mason comes to school ready to learn and sets an example for the rest of the class.

Emmaline Bonczynski
A student in Jennifer Wilson’s class, Emmaline is the daughter of Michael and Melissa Bonczynski. She has a 5-year-old brother, Aaron, who is in kindergarten at Kincheloe, and a 1-year-old sister, Sadie, at home.
Emmaline is known as cooperative and attentive, completing her work quickly and accurately.
Her excellent work reflects her great attitude and effort.
Emmaline accepts responsibility beautifully and can be depended on to set a good example in citizenship as well as scholarship.
When Emmaline is older, she would like to go to college and become a veterinarian because she loves animals. Science is her favorite subject.
Mrs. Wilson said, “I greatly appreciate the kindness, thoughtfulness and consideration Emmaline shows to her classmates. For these reasons and more, she was selected to represent Kincheloe Elementary,” also represented by Principal Dawn Conner.

Emma McCrorey
Emma, daughter of Jason and Mandy McCrorey, has an older brother, Ben, who also attends Sister Lakes Elementary School. She is in Melissa Teed’s class and was introduced by Principal Gretchen Hart, who called her a “one in a million girl” who is smart, kind, polite and patient.
A “bubbly little second-grader with a magical smile,” Emma is known as a good classroom citizen, responsible, friendly and “just plain delightful.”
Emma does well in all subjects, although math is her favorite. She is also an avid reader and accomplished author.
Emma wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up. With the people skills, academics and work ethic she has, she should be able to do anything to which she sets her mind.

Rury Rodeo Cano
A student in Karen Hardisty’s class, Rury is a great example of an outstanding student and citizen both academically and socially.
He contributes to class discussions regularly by bringing a fresh perspective to any topic.
Things come pretty easily to Rury, but he is always ready to share his knowledge and help someone who may not quite get it yet.
Rury loves nature. His hobbies include fishing and hunting with his father.
In fact, Rury is quite the master at discovering where deer have been by looking for tracks and other clues in the woods.
Rury also loves to garden and knows how to find the perfect spot for planting by paying attention to where the sun shines most in his yard.
Hardisty appreciates the respect and kindness he shows to his classmates and to her. She read a friendly letter he wrote to her for a class assignment.
Rury lives with his parents, Raul and Delia, and brother, Roy, a second-grader.

Gabriel Kasper
Gabe, son of John and Debbi Kasper, has four siblings, Caleb, Faith, Anika and Amy, and a dog, Silas.
Gabe, whose favorite subject is math, was introduced by DUHS Principal Paul Hartsig. He plays tenor saxophone in the Chieftain Marching Band.
One thing he likes best about school is spending time with friends. If he could wave his hand and change one thing, it would be to start school later in the day.
Gabe is a member of the school improvement team and the network program after school. He is always willing to help his classmates, Hartsig said.
Outside school, he helps a neighbor with yard work and snow removal.
Gabe wants to study engineering in college.