Thousand Oaks, CA – Compass is proud of its scholars and uses the Firebird of the Year program to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of a select group of scholars at the end of each school year. These scholars received the Scholar of the Month award during the 2020-21 school year. From this pool, the leadership team selected the Firebirds of the Year based on their academic excellence, work ethic, leadership skills, and virtual involvement.
We honor each scholar below as we hear from their families, learning coaches, teachers, staff, and themselves!
CCS of Los Angeles Elementary Scholar School Firebird of the Year: Moses A, of Camarillo
“School isn’t the easiest thing for Moses. He struggles with reading and writing, but he is consistently patient and persistent despite the extra effort he has to put into his assignments. We are so proud of him and all of his hard work this year!” -Tom and Mary A., parents and learning coaches
“Moses is an amazing scholar! He works diligently on assignments and has made amazing progress this school year! He is bright, kind, and thoughtful. Moses is a super scholar.” – Michelle Fullerton, supervising teacher
CCS of San Diego Elementary Scholar School Firebird of the Year: Ethan B., of Yorba Linda
“I am so proud of Ethan! This year, he was truly focused and completed two full ELA curriculums and his math curriculum, even starting on the next level. His reading abilities are above grade level, and he can often be found reading on his own, even past bedtime with his flashlight! I’m so excited to see what he achieves next year.” -Elizabeth B., Mother and learning coach
I was surprised and excited to get the award! Thank you! – Ethan, scholar recipient
“Ethan is such a joy to work with. He is always inquisitive about everything and always thinks outside of the box when it comes to learning. He is very diligent with his work and always puts forth a lot of effort. Way to go, Ethan! I am very proud of you as you indeed deserve to be Firebird of the Year!” -Jan Marquez, supervising teacher
CCS of Yolo Elementary Scholar School Firebird of the Year: Pranathi M., of Hidden Valley Lake
“Pranathi is highly energetic, and her mind is constantly hungry for more, be it music, reading, art, tennis, or friends. She usually never takes a break from an activity. It’s exhausting to a Mom or a parent because it is hard to keep up with her energy. I feel blessed as she is an extremely committed scholar for her age. Once she develops an interest in any field, she is after you to help her learn more or practice.” – Neeharika V., Mother and learning coach
“Pranathi is a scholar who has a true love for learning. She has worked so hard this year in all of her classes but has excelled in social studies and language arts, even writing a novel. She is also a wonderful artist and musician. Most of all, though, she is thoughtful and uplifting towards her peers and always has a kind word to contribute. She has had a fantastic year in third grade!” -Rebecca Jacobs, Supervising Teacher
CCS of Los Angeles Middle School Scholar School Firebird of the Year: Avery S., of Los Angeles
“Avery is a top-notch scholar. He loves school and loves learning. He sets the bar high for himself, and he achieves it every time! I love his zest for achievement. It has been a joy working with him this year and helping him to meet and even exceed his goals.” -Lacey Lehman, Middle School Teacher
CCS of San Diego Middle School Scholar School Firebird of the Year: Bianca G., of San Diego
“Bianca is a go-getter! I love her positivity and drive to succeed. She works hard on her school work and has achieved excellence all year. What I have enjoyed the most is her compassion. She has such a thoughtful heart and always takes the time to send encouragement to others.” -Lacey Lehman, Middle School Teacher
CCS of Yolo Middle School Scholar School Firebird of the Year: Gabriel D.S., of Moraga
“Gabe has worked very hard this year to manage his time and stay focused on his studies. We are grateful for CCS of Yolo and the great teachers that made what could have been a tough year go smoothly. I’m very proud of Gabe for being acknowledged as Firebird for the year.” -Patti H., Mother and learning coach
“It is an honor to be named “Firebird of the Year” for the second year. It feels so good for my work to have gone places that I didn’t think I could reach. I am really pleased to do the hard work and to see it pay off. This is a big landmark for me in terms of school.” -Gabe D.S., scholar recipient
CCS of Los Angeles High School Scholar School Firebird of the Year: Owen P., of Thousand Oaks
“Owen loves to learn, and as a young child, he always had a book bigger than him in his lap. His love of books has never dwindled. The knowledge he gains from reading helps him complete his work. He’s also happy to lend his younger sister assistance with his information storehouse. He either has a book in hand or is building with anything he can get his hands on in his free time. Once Owen gains interest in a subject, he’s all in.” -Miranda P., Mother and learning coach
“Owen is a gifted scholar who shows a thorough understanding of concepts. He turns in his assignments on time and is always respectful during our Connection Meetings. Owen is a pleasure to work with!” -Danielle Arnheiter, supervising teacher
CCS of San Diego High School Scholar School Firebird of the Year: KristiLynn E., of El Cajon
“Throughout the past 7 years with Compass, KristiLynn has been committed to achieving the greatest understanding of each subject. Her dedication to obtain the highest possible grades to reach her personal educational goals is most admirable. She leaves limited time to pursue her future artistic interests, consistently making her education the priority all while juggling her community service and leadership responsibilities, as the Co-Vice Chair of the National Honor Society and Secretary of the Student Leadership Council.” – Joy E., Mother and learning coach
To be named “Firebird of the Year” is an exceptional honor. I hold the title with great pride. Each year, I am committed to my course work, striving to maintain my personal goal of receiving straight-A’s; therefore, being recognized for my efforts is thrilling. Thank you, Compass, for this award! – KristiLynn E., scholar recipient
CCS of Yolo High School Scholar School Firebird of the Year: Samantha G., of Concord
“Samantha is known for her ability to show up, participate when others may not feel inclined to do so, and puts her best foot forward to do the work.”– Loel M., parent and learning coach
“Samantha (Sam) is an incredibly diligent young scholar with a keen mind for mathematics, design, and high-level thinking. Sam’s focus, energy, and inquisitive nature really shine across all subject areas, and her desire to grow intellectually is evident in every interaction with her. Sam has had a great two years with Compass, and we look forward to seeing her continue to blossom as an avid learner!” -Elaine Amari, supervising teacher
“Congratulations to all of our Firebirds of the Year! There are many talented scholars at Compass, and this program is just one of the many ways we recognize and celebrate the exceptional work of a select group of scholars,” shares J.J. Lewis, Superintendent & CEO. “Please join all of us at Compass in celebrating Moses, Ethan, Pranathi, Avery, Bianca, Gabriel, Owen, KristiLynn, and Samantha for being named our Firebirds of the Year!”
About Compass Charter Schools
Compass Charter Schools is a WASC-accredited virtual personalized learning public charter school serving thousands of scholars throughout California. Catering to TK-12 grade scholars, Compass offers two personalized learning programs. Compass is committed to creating a collaborative virtual learning community, inspiring scholars to appreciate the ways in which arts and sciences nurture a curiosity for lifelong learning and preparing scholars to take responsibility for their future successes.
For more information, visit About Compass, and follow us on social media via Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.