Olympic Middle School PTA is proud to present the Golden Acorn Award to Becky Stewart. It all started when Becky’s daughter was a 6th grader in the 2002-2003 school year. Every call for parent volunteers was answered by Becky. When she asked if I would like some help in my classroom, little did I know the phenomenal avalanche I was unleashing on my school’s students and staff. She began by just helping me out. That year I taught science, so she helped prepare cow eyes for my students to dissect. The owl pellets, she said, were not nearly as gross as those cow eyes.
From helping one teacher to helping an entire middle school staff was a logical progression for Becky. When she discovered the chaos in the sixth grade science storage room, Becky spent several days organizing that black hole of a storeroom. Every year for the past five years, Becky has personally cut out the graham crackers for every sixth grader’s gingerbread house. That is a staggering 1,500 students who have immensely enjoyed this annual applied physics lesson.
For the past four years, Becky has managed ticket sales to
the quarterly student socials. This
benefits every student here at Olympic.
Managing these ticket sales frees up the ASB advisor as well as the
office staff for their regular duties.
Just this “little” (for Becky) chore has made a huge difference for the
entire student body and staff here at Olympic.
Whenever there is a social event or an incentive assembly, Becky usually
arrives at school at
Three years ago, Becky took over the defunct student store. Now it is open every Tuesday and Thursday. Students may purchase pencils, paper, and other fun school-related novelties. Also three years ago, she began the Olympic Boosters Club. Becky has planned and implemented fund-raisers that benefit the entire student body. She has been instrumental in earning enough to purchase a climbing wall to benefit Olympic students.
Becky has taken over managing the Scholastic Book Fairs that happen at Olympic several times a year. Becky publicizes, sets up, manages, and tears down each Book Fair. These Book Fairs are a huge benefit to Olympic’s students, families, and the library. A few months ago, I was at the Scholastic Warehouse, and when they found out that I knew Becky, I received the red-carpet treatment.
Becky’s latest ventures include obtaining a cotton candy maker that will allow her to sell cotton candy to raise money for future school needs. She is also putting together gift bags for the guest teachers who come to Olympic Middle School. While Becky is a staunch supporter of the students at Olympic Middle School, she has also demonstrated in a million ways her support of the staff at Olympic. Becky is always ready to pitch in and answer telephones when the main office is short handed. Her professionalism is a model for us all. Becky has helped teachers move, provided office support, and made runs to the local drug store for headache remedies.
If you try and thank Becky for her help, she has always shrugged it off and acts like she’s not doing anything out of the ordinary. Becky is living proof that one person can make a huge difference in the lives of many. If I might be so bold as to paraphrase Benjamin Franklin, “Evil thrives when good people do nothing.” Becky is definitely doing something at Olympic Middle School.