Northern Bedford Kicks off PRIDE Program

With the start of the school year, area school hallways are a buzz of excitement. For the Northern Bedford High School and Middle School, the excitement culminated into a fun afternoon for students and staff on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. The annual PRIDE assembly was held in the high school auditorium and was led by master of ceremonies, senior, Eion Snider and junior, Avery Aungst. This high-energy event showcased students and staff participating in fun games together as a kick off to the school year and to promote the PRIDE program within the district.

Panther Pride has always been a core value to members of the Northern Bedford student body, but seven years ago the PRIDE program was launched at NBC as a school-wide positive behavior intervention and support program. This student led program was created to boost student morale, encourage positive behaviors, and reduce discipline referrals all while creating and maintaining a positive school culture for the students and staff.

PRIDE is an acronym to help guide students in choices and behaviors both in school and throughout our community.

• P stands for "positive," which encourages students to engage in positive behaviors such as being polite and using positive manners.

• R stands for "respectful" and students are encouraged to engage in respectful behaviors by being kind and considerate of others and the surrounding areas they are in.

• I stands for "involved" which encourages students to be actively engaged in the school and community.

• D stands for "dependable" and encourages students to be present and prepared.

• E stands for "excellent," which encourages students to work hard to reach their full potential in all areas of their lives.

The PRIDE creation

With the creation of the program, student PRIDE teams were formed in both the middle school and high school and these young leaders have shaped and grown the program over the years. The program allows students to earn PRIDE tickets for engaging in behaviors that promote the core values of the program. These tickets can then be used to enter school drawings for free dance tickets, gift cards, free ice cream, and various other prizes. Faculty members also have prizes such as cakes, an extra day for homework submission, a pencil, etc. available for purchase with PRIDE tickets in their respective classrooms. Last school term, the PRIDE team also developed a recognition program for staff. This has been a positive influence to engage staff and students while working toward the common goal of the PRIDE program and behaviors. NBC Elementary also promotes a similar program called PAWS which builds a great foundation for the PRIDE program when the students enter middle school and high school.

Since the creation and implementation of the PRIDE program within the district, the staff and administration has been effective in reaching the goal of creating and maintain a positive school culture where students and staff genuinely care and support each other. Kendra Pritchett, Middle School Principal, is a strong supporter of the PRIDE program and has seen the positive impact from the program with a decrease in discipline referrals and an increase in student and staff morale. Pritchett credits the positive atmosphere at NBC to the fundamental values in the PRIDE program. Teaching and learning occur better in a positive environment where students and staff care for one another "and I'm pleased to say that we have that!" said Pritchett while referring to the learning environment at NBC.

2023-24 PRIDE assembly

The PRIDE assembly held on Friday kicked off the program for the 2023-24 school term. The week leading up to Friday's assembly was filled with daily videos shown to the students demonstrating expectations that support the core values of the PRIDE program. These videos featured staff and students exhibiting positive behaviors and receiving PRIDE tickets for doing their part to support the program. The assembly was a fun time for the students and staff to learn about PRIDE and to reinforce the positive culture within the building between students and staff.

As students entered the auditorium, the high school band played several upbeat renditions of alternative rock songs which will be heard throughout this football season during half time shows. The excitement of the students was unmatched as the program opened with the varsity cheerleaders engaging the student body in a chant.

The afternoon was full of fun activities for both students and staff, led by the students. Several games were played on the stage including musical chairs where several staff members had to beat students to a seat when the music stopped. Students had the upper hand and eliminated all staff members early in the competition. The final game of the afternoon was a "water bottle roll." Participants rolled a full water bottle on a table and if the bottle stopped, prizes could be won but if it missed the mark or rolled to the floor, the participant was offered a whipped cream pie in the face. High School Principal Shawn Cerully was a fan favorite when he missed the mark and was a recipient of the whipped cream pie.

At the close of the program, students were encouraged by principal Cerully to promote and participate in behaviors and choices that align with the PRIDE program values not just in school but also throughout our community. As the school year kicks off and these students walk the halls of NBC, administration and staff are excited to see how the students demonstrate and support the PRIDE program and each other within the walls of the building but also throughout the Panther community and beyond.