This past Thursday, June 4 at 6:30 PM, the sixth and final Dream Award Ceremony occurred in the Stamford High School Auditorium.  The Dream Award was developed this school year by Assistant Principal Matthew Forker and Dean of Students Rafael Escobar, with help from teachers Jon Ringel and Alana Tartaglia.  The award was developed as a way to recognize students who demonstrate the qualities that make up the acronym DREAM: determination, respect, excellence, accepting responsibility, and making good choices.

Throughout the year the school held five assemblies to honor students that were nominated by their teachers for demonstrating one of the five characteristics that make up DREAM.  This assembly was different because this time, teachers were asked to nominate the two students who best embody all five of these qualities combined.  Essentially, these were each teacher’s overall best students for the year.

The night began with some opening remarks from Forker and Escobar, in which they welcomed recipients and their guests and gave a bit of background about the Dream Award.  The Knights of Honor Dance Group then performed one of their routines for the audience.  Next, a video about what the Dream Award means to teachers and students created by Jon Ringel (also adviser for the Round Table) was played.  Last but not least, each individual student was recognized for their hard work this year with a certificate.

Both Forker and Escobar are thrilled with the way that the Dream Award program turned out this year.  Forker said, “I couldn’t be happier with the results” of the program this year, and he appreciates that “over 1000 students were recognized” over the past year through these awards.  Escobar was especially excited that there was so much support from parents and students alike, noting that, “we almost had an entire auditorium filled up with people.”  Escobar is looking towards the future, sharing that “we want this to be the first year in the beginning of a lot of new initiatives to recognize students.”