Student Spotlight: Meet Jayanna!

Building on a longstanding partnership with Hiawatha Academies, ACES was proud to expand programming to the Hiawatha College Prep Northrop campus last September. Jayanna, a curious and caring 5th grader, joined the ACES afterschool class on day one.  Now in her second semester, Jayanna’s attendance record is nearly perfect! When asked what motivates her to come to ACES every day, she cheerfully responded, “We do learning in a fun way. We have snacks. We get to do fun activities. It’s amazing!”

Site Manager, Marie Regala, who oversees ACES programming at Hiawatha’s Northrop and Collegiate High School campuses, has noticed Jayanna’s self-assurance growing.  “One area of growth we have seen in Jayanna is her confidence in her math abilities. She continues to be brave in making strong guesses when doing her math and asking for support when she needs it. Jayanna works hard every day she is at ACES.”

The hands-on projects that are part of ACES’s curriculum have resonated with Jayanna. She reports that her favorite lesson involved planning and creating her own board game. “We get to do the fun things, like math – but in a fun or different way.” Outside of the classroom, Jayanna also enjoyed touring Allianz Field with her class – a fitting way to conclude ACES’s Stadium Architecture curriculum unit.

Academic Coach Lee Blons notes that Jayanna also stands out for her creativity and thoughtfulness. “Jayana radiates positivity. She's interested in learning and always ready to help. She is creative and willing to try new things.” Nodding in agreement, Marie continued, “Jayanna brings light into the room every single day. We are so thankful to have her kind, goofy, enthusiastic self in our group!”