Susana Ibarra Obando, daughter of Juan Ibarra and Herendira Obando is the BEACON HMK Enrichment Student of the Month for February. She is in sixth grade. Sara Hinck, a Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) volunteer at the BEACON Afterschool Program said Susana is a “fantastic helper.”
“She has an incredible ability to notice when someone needs help and seamlessly steps in to help without ever being asked,” Hinck said. “She helps BEACON students and staff alike—and always with a beautiful smile. She has a fun and funny personality and a very creative, intelligent mind.”
First-grader Seraphina Litsue, daughter of Valerie Begay and Keith Litsue and student in Mrs. Lamb’s class, is the BEACON HMK Academic Student of the Month for February. She was nominated by her tutor, Lynda Diem, who nominated Litsue because of her enthusiasm for learning.
“When Seraphina started with BEACON, she hardly spoke, refused to read and she would put her head down on the desk for most of the time,” Diem said. “Now, she is reading with pleasure at five reading levels above where she started, she enjoys learning, she just received a 100 percent on a spelling test, she tries her best at math, and she smiles and is happy. Seraphina is a delight to teach because she has a positive attitude. She continues to give her best.”
Ruben Goldtooth is the BEACON Middle School Student of the Month. Ruben, a seventh-grader at Grand County Middle School, is the son of Leslie and Rudy Goldtooth. Hinck said that while many students were being “required” to come to BEACON at the end of the second trimester, Goldtooth took the initiative to improve his grades himself.
“He came often to BEACON and worked hard while he was there,” Hinck said. “Ruben’s determination and good attitude earned him some accomplishments to be proud of.”
