By Paula Pyzik Scott

Recounting the last day of the first semester and the last day of school in 2023, Ada HS-MS Principal Dan Lee echoed the excitement generated by the 2nd annual Dawg Day event that celebrates “a lot of hard work and accomplishments” by students.

He described the activities and pep rally as “one of those things that just naturally gains momentum….. The kids are excited and teachers get creative with it.”

Students were able to choose what activities they participated in, such as painting ornaments, Taylor Swift trivia or yoga and smoothies. Lee said that it was all about creativity, “Leaning into something new and out of the box.”

The day was capped by a pep rally where the accomplishments of the first half of the year were celebrated and rewarded. Honor roll, perfect attendance, activities, sports all went into an opportunity to win prizes sponsored by more than a dozen area businesses and organizations. “The scale of it is pretty significant,” commented Lee.

Moreover, it was an opportunity for teachers and students to enjoy a day of fun together. Lee reflected that “Our teachers and students have great relationships.” On this Dawg Day, they “just lean into the fun side, and enjoy each other.”