Commentary by Julia Plant
From the time Zionsville Community Schools Supt. Dr. Scott Robison became a teacher, he has believed in recognizing positive, good citizens who he believes, if encouraged, will go on to do great things.
One of the ways Robison does this is by annually selecting a student from each Zionsville school to receive a grant called a Boost Award, not to be confused with the ZEF teacher awards. The selected students are typically not those with the highest math grade or the president of the student council, but someone who is believed to be a person of promise who might fly under the radar.
“We notice you, you’re a great person, you’re a good citizen, you’re doing all the right stuff, and we want to say thank you, now try something new that might be of your interest,” Robison said of the recipients.
Every spring, Robison asks each principal to choose one student from their school who fits all of the above criteria. Sodexo, a corporate sponsor, donates $250 to each student to do anything from taking foreign language lessons to going to a camp that they otherwise may not have had the chance to attend. Past examples include purchasing a robotics kit, taking private music lessons and attending both Brown University Writers Camp and Purdue University Veterinary School.
“It’s almost like an unasked-for grant,” Robison said.
In 2012, I was given a boost award from Zionsville Middle School principal Mr. Sean Conner. I have been interested in writing from a young age and one day hope to become a professional journalist. With this grant, I was able to attend Butler University Creative Writing Camp. Not only was I able to expand my knowledge of creative writing, but I made great friends and experienced something I may not have been able to experience without this award. As a result, I was asked to become a junior reporter for The Current newspaper and am now getting a glimpse of what professional journalism is like. Without the encouragement from my school system, I would definitely not be where I am today.
The very last line of the boost award says, “Recognition and encouragement are important aspects of learning and growing.” Thanks to the support and encouragement of Zionsville Community Schools and the Boost Award, children in our district are able to leave their comfort zone and experience a once in a lifetime opportunity.