Kindergarten student recognized for writing
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Allison Elementary School principal Toni Hartung stands next to Maizey Cooper during an assembly.
Over the years, as building principal Toni Hartung outlined, AES has found great success in the state of West Virginia's SMART529 "When I Grow Up" essay contest, and this year was no different.
Kindergartener Maizey Cooper's essay -- detailing her interest in becoming an architect when she grows up --was of the state's 15 winners among K-5 students.
During a writing recognition assembly, attended by her parents and both grandmothers, Maizey receives a $500 check from the state treasurer's office invested in the SMART529 college savings plan. She and the 14 other winners will attend a ceremony in Charleston, where one of the 15 learns if they will win an additional $4,500.
Maizey was the only winner from Hancock County this year. Allison Elementary School, her home building, also receives a $500 award.
Ironically dad Mark Cooper is an architect, but it is doubtful he shares his daughter's affection for pink sparkly, Christmas-themed buildings, which is what Maizey detailed as her niche. That decor style would "mark people happy," she added
Principal Hartung explained that AES has produced nine other winners, including Kennedy Quinlan, who graduated from Oak Glen High School and West Virginia University and went onto be a state auditor in Charleston, working with school systems.
Other past AES winners include Sam Wright, Leah McMahan, Macy Hartung, Asa Brewer, Meadow O'Rourke, Cash McMahan, Allie Fink and Abigail Miller.
Allison third-grade teacher Valerie Dawson also has been elected to participate in writing workshops at the state level and shared a few words regarding the importance of reading and writing in learning. "Reading and writing works together to improve your ability to think," she added.
Randy Swartzmiller from the Hancock County school board was on hand to offer his congratulations and possibly get on Maizey's waiting list for one of those sparkly Christmas houses. He talked about how it was a testament that AES has produced so many SMART529 essay winners, attributing it to the quality of education students receive there.
Hartung shared how she, as a third-grade student, strived to someday be a teacher and how important it is to help children achieve their goals.
"I made my own worksheets and shared them with the students at my table. I played school as often as I could with my brother, sister and cousins," Hartung said. "Attending college and continuing education helped me to achieve my goal as a teacher and then a principal," she concluded before encouraging the aspiring authors and illustrators in the audience to keep writing and sharing stories.