During the academic awards assembly on Tuesday, Sept. 10, students were awarded for their academic achievements. They were given a certificate, letter, and either a bronze, silver or gold bar to put on their letter jacket. To receive a letter, you must maintain a GPA of at least 3.5 throughout the school year.

“For many students, academic letters are a major part of staying motivated in school, keeping their grades up and boosting morale. Having a physical achievement for my work in the classroom has really helped me keep pushing to get it every single year and stay getting academic letters,” senior Annika Senn said.

Along with academic letters, Senn believes that there are other incentives the school has to help increase motivation.

“I think that the gold cards are also a good motivation because I’m more likely to go to an event if I don’t have to pay to get into it,” Senn said. “Having a way to get into those events for free is really helpful.”

Receiving letters for academic success can lead to many opportunities for students, including better grades, which can lead to an increased chance of getting a scholarship.

“It’s important to get [good grades] for scholarships, and then also taking honors classes, and to get better ACT scores,” sophomore Ethan Neufeld said. “I think that goes fairly well across the board for anyone who’s planning on going to college.”