At DMS, the staff has a plan for a reward for students called an Incentive Party every nine weeks. There are only two in a school year, one every nine weeks, but students say they want more than just two. Incentive Parties reward students who have good grades, come to school, and behave well. Although, some think they’re just a celebration for the first 9 weeks of school. Students say they would prefer five or eight, so there would be four a semester.
At incentive parties the staff arranges different things, students could go to the school gym and dance, sometimes have their phones and music would play. Likewise, students could go outside and there could be snacks.
Students always have an eligibility list that tells teachers and the student(s) if they can go. Reasons they wouldn’t go are because they have too many absences, they’re struggling in school with work, or because of bad behavior. For some students, it’s fair you can only go if you are eligible, only good kids deserve it and it wouldn’t be fun if trouble were there. However, others say kids with lower grades should have more opportunities and that everyone makes mistakes.
Students say there are so many different activities and things you can do at an incentive party and some favorites include having your phone out, skipping classes, and some snacks, but some students have never been to one.
Emma Lopez, Bricelyn Brown, Weslee Frith, and Kylie Lowe, all 7th graders, said what they would do if they got to lead an Incentive Party. Lopez said, “I would have a fundraiser to get money to have a lot of snakes at the party”. Brown said, “I would have Pizza Hut and we would watch a movie.” Frith said, “I would let them have their phones and there would be food.” Lowe said, “ I would make it better than past ones.” Lopez, Brown, and Frith said they would take them somewhere and do certain things, however only Lowe said to make is better than any other incentive party.
