ERIE'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Erie's Public Schools Student Stairclimber Awards

Erie's Public Schools strives to always celebrate the success of our students. As part of that initiative, the Stairclimber Award is presented monthly at regular School Board meetings (from October through May) to one student from each building, recognizing their tenacity, grit and perseverance toward making improvements in their ABC's -- Attendance, Behavior and Classroom Performance.

The EPS Stairclimber Award, which stems from PA School Climate Data feedback and Strategic Plan Survey results, supports our district-wide movement of School-Wide Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (SWPBIS).

Meet our February 2024 Stairclimbers!

Josiah Campbell, Edison Elementary School, 3rd grade

Da'Quan Johnson, Perry Elementary School, 1st grade

"We are nominating Da'Quan Johnson. He is a Perry student who has made huge progress this year. He uses the tools taught by his teacher has helped him control his emotions and works very well with other students. Da'Quan is respectful to every person he interacts with and behaves very responsibly when faced with conflict. Da'Quan has made us all proud at Perry this year!"

Jahmir Johnson, East Middle School, 8th grade 

"Jahmir has worked hard this year to achieve not only within his academic classes but has balanced his work as a student athlete participating in boys basketball. We are proud of Jahmir as he has earned all A's an B's during the fall semester. Jahmir has nearly eliminated office discipline referrals during the 2023-2024 school year. Jahmir can frequently be found being Ready, Respectful, and Responsible here at East. Keep up the great work Jahmir!"

Tyce Jones, Diehl Elementary School, 1st grade

"Tyce Jones is SOARing at Diehl and I am proud to nominate him as a Stairclimber! Socially he has grown so much! I love seeing him at school with a smile and enjoying himself. He has made so many friends and loves showing off his dance moves! He has demonstrated a lot of academic progress as well this school year in reading and math. On the reading mid-year assessment, he has shown well above average growth and is on grade level. He works hard every week to meet his goals and be the best he can be. He is very proud of himself and his success. His determination shows in his academic improvements and in his positive attitude. He is a great friend to all of the other students, is a leader in the classroom, and is always focused and prepared for class. Mrs. Baney is so proud of you and all of your success! I know he will continue to work hard, be kind, and be a role model to everyone around him! Way to go, Tyce, You make Diehl PROUD!"

Brandon Lozada, Strong Vincent Middle School, 6th grade

"Kind. Bright. Hard working. Strong Vincent's STAIRCLIMBER is - - - to put it frankly - - - the kind of student we'd all hope to have in class. We think his teachers put it best when they said, he has a heart of gold - - somehow, he finds joy in the simple things. We've never seen a student so excited to win this award tonight - - and trust us - - he deserves it! From Strong Vincent, Brandon Lozada. With courage, he conquers."

Arianna Rosa, Harding Elementary School, 5th grade 

"Arianna was very shy and reserved when school started. She has really come out of her shell and is contributing in CKLA a lot.  She enjoys writing very much.  She is a leader in the classroom and her other peers look to her for advice.  She has a positive attitude and she comes to school ready to learn and be a great friend."  

Khameron Segretti, Lincoln Elementary School, 5th grade 

"Khameron has committed to being a leader in 5th grade at Lincoln. He has grown by 100 points in his DIBELS and is now in the highest level. He has also grown by 238% in his iReady Diagnostic. Khameron has been dedicated to positive behavior this year. He makes us proud each day and we know he is going to continue to soar in his growth. Way to go, Khameron!"

 

 

Iryna Semeniaka, Wilson Middle School, 7th grade

"Iryna was moved into honors classes after a great start to the first quarter and has raised her grades even more! She is incredibly respectful to all adults and peers. She helps with any new student transferring from Wilson from the Ukraine and is always willing to lend a helping hand. We are so lucky to have her at Wilson!"

 

Tyzeer Simmelkjar, JoAnna Connell Elementary School, 4th grade

"Tyzeer is an exceptional student who has made significant growth this school year. He has become a leader in our classroom by modeling our SWPBIS expectations. He is consistently completing his work on time and always eager to learn something new. He is willing to be a helping hand and is a great communicator with staff and peers. He works well with his classmates and is a joy to have at Connell. We are very proud of the young man that Ty is becoming."  

 

Ava'lise Stovall, Eagle's Nest Program of Distinction, Kindergarten 

"Ava'lise has worked hard very hard to improve this school year. She is now above grade level in reading. She follows directions and is a leader for her peers. Ava'lise helps her teacher and is a student who goes out of her way to make other people in the class feel good about themselves."

 

Armonii Torres, Erie High School, 10th grade 

"Armonii Torres is a 10th grade student at Erie High who embodies the Stairclimber Award. Last year, Armonii struggled to find his place. Academically he was not performing to the best of his ability and he had considerably long stretches of missed days from school. Fast forward to this year and we've seen Armonii start to unlock his potential. His attendance is at 90% this year, and In the first semester, Armonii averaged over a 3.0 GPA, an incredible improvement from his 1.6 GPA this time last year. Armonii enjoys watching anime and being behind the camera during his digital media class." 

 

 

Shemabti Turay, Jefferson Elementary School, Kindergarten 

"Shemabti has made huge strides since entering our classroom in October. He now enters the classroom on his own and puts all of his belongings away. He is following the class and school rules and routines."

 

 

Ja'Zarion Walker, Pfeiffer-Burleigh Elementary School, 5th grade

"Ja'Zarion is one special kid. At times it is a challenge for him to maintain his self control and handle his emotions. However, he has shown that he is capable of handling whatever obstacle is thrown his way with a bright smile on his face. Ja'zarion has improved his behavior drastically from last year and has become a true leader in the classroom. I have watched him stop himself in his tracks to correct an undesirable behavior, whereas last year these behaviors were significantly more challenging. I have watched him use coping skills to calm himself down instead of acting out. I have heard him apologize when he's wrong and explain himself appropriately when he needs to be heard. He is resilient, determined, hard-working, caring, and thoughtful. In all my years, I have never taught a student who is more deserving of this award than Ja'Zarion."

 

Ja'Braya Witherspoon, Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy, 12th grade

"Ja'Brayah noticed a young girl walking around Collegiate after school in distress. Ja'Brayah asked if she needed help and the younger girl explained that she was lost and unsure how to get home or call because she did not have a phone. Ja'Brayah immediately brought the young girl to the Main Office and reported it to the secretary and also Mr. Shaut. Because of her quick thinking and caring the young girl was able to reunite with her parents before it got dark out. A lot of people would have ignored this young girl but Ja'Brayah did not. She went out of her way to help a child. She is an excellent representative for Collegiate Academy."

 

 

 

 

Kylea Wybiral, Grover Cleveland Elementary School, 1st grade 

 

"Kylea’s behavior has improved so much since last year! She has been making good choices, being kind, and working hard each day. I’m so proud of her." 

 

  

 

Honesty Carr, Patrick J. DiPaolo Student Success Center at Emerson Gridley/EPS Cyber Choice Academy, 9th grade (Not pictured)

"At the beginning of this year, ninth grade cyber student, Honesty Car struggled with focusing on her school work. While she is still working on catching up, she is making progress and is visibly more focused. She made the decision to come to the afternoon lab sessions at Emerson-Gridley and to continue coming in the afternoon, even though all of her friends are here in the morning session. She is very respectful to others and the teachers/staff. She always asks for help when she needs it and follows classroom procedures."