On Feb. 23, St. Anthony Catholic School (SACS) elementary and middle school students placed first in the Private Schools Interscholastic Association (PSIA) competition. The PSIA strives to inspire student achievement through academic competition in various subjects including art memory, mathematics, music memory, ready writing, spelling, vocabulary, maps, charts, graphs and more.
The latest competition concluded with SACS elementary students placing first with 451 points, and middle school students placing first with 605 points.
SACS kids students are recommended for PSIA competitions by their teachers and mentors based on the strengths they exhibit in the classroom. Those who choose to participate dedicate themselves to practices and routines that help them hone their academic athleticism within a particular category.
“Our program coordinator, Mrs. Almayda, recruits teachers and some parents to help guide the students,” shared Rita Rodriguez, principal at SACS. “Teachers and parent volunteers coach their students two times a week after school.”
Although the hope is to inspire a sense of determination and confidence in students, it’s important to SACS educators that students also remember to uphold a sense of respect during their time in competition. Students are reminded to show respect to the coaches that help to prepare them and to participating students from other schools.
Rodriguez shared that the value that is placed on academic excellence and positive morals helps to prepare students to excel beyond their time at SACS.
“Our students, when they leave St. Anthony after eighth grade, do very well in the high school of their choice,” she noted. “We produce student council presidents, NJHS presidents, valedictorians, salutatorians, scholar athletes, cheerleaders, band members and more. Our students also do well in their SATs in high school.”
Due to SACS’ latest win, 19 elementary and 21 middle school students will advance to the State PSIA competition in Houston in April.
“I am proud of the school’s recent achievement. I am proud of our students and their commitment to PSIA. I cannot take any of the credit, the credit goes to Mrs. Almayda, the teachers, parent volunteers and students who have put in the work to earn this achievement. I support PSIA 100% and know that our students love to participate in this academic competition,” expressed Roriguez.
As these students prepare for the next phase of competition, she hopes that they remember where they started, acknowledge how far that have come and know that God is always with them.