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Benjamin Turner Academy third-grade student wins $500 in Kindland Creative Writing Challenge

A woman and a child stand with a mascot in front of a whiteboard displaying ELA concepts, while another woman stands to the right holding a drum.
Benjamin Turner Academy third-grade student wins $500 in Kindland Creative Writing Challenge

Kindness pays off! Ethan Donaldson, a third-grade student at Benjamin Turner Academy, was one of two winners nationally in grades three and four in the Kindland Creative Writing Challenge, winning $500. BTA students were encouraged to participate in the national challenge earlier in the year, and Ethan’s essay was selected as one of the best in the country!

Ethan’s essay answered the prompt, “How can acts of kindness – big or small – help create a United State of Kindness.” He was recognized for his accomplishment during morning announcements on Monday, when the BTA Bulldog stopped by his class and Principal Dr. Colleen Seivright-Crawford announced his win to the whole school.   

A costumed chipmunk and a teacher interact with students in a classroom with an ELA lesson plan on the wall.
A teacher and a fox mascot stand before a classroom of students, with a large screen displaying an image behind them.
A young boy stands next to a bulldog mascot in a classroom with an ELA lesson displayed on a whiteboard.


 

A group of children and a teacher stand in front of colorful Earth-themed posters, holding certificates.
Benjamin Turner Academy students' artwork featured on New York State Senate Website for Earth Day Poster Contest

First- and second-grade students at Benjamin Turner Academy recently participated in the New York State Senate’s Earth Day Poster Contest Celebration, sponsored by State Senator Jamaal T. Bailey. Working with teacher Leandra Furchi-Valdez, students created their Earth Day posters while strengthening their language skills. The students’ artwork was selected to be featured on the New York State Senate Earth Day Poster Contest Celebration website. BTA was the only school to be featured on the website for their fantastic work!

Snapshots from BTA career day.
BTA Career Day brings unity in the community

Last week, Benjamin Turner Academy hosted its annual Career Fair for students in grades four through eight. This year’s event featured an exciting variety of professionals and community organizations who shared their experiences and inspired students to begin thinking about their future careers.

Class posing for the camera.
BTA fifth graders excel academically

Students in Tashina Haywood’s fifth-grade class at Benjamin Turner Academy recently earned effective scores on both their i-Ready assessments and the Math Common Assessment Data, demonstrating high academic achievement. The accomplishment supports the district's goal of increasing achievement by at least 3% in all core subjects.

Two girls eating school breakfast
Fueling success: Students enjoy hot meals for National School Breakfast Week

At Benjamin Turner Academy, the day began Tuesday with the inviting scent of eggs and turkey sausage wafting through the hallways — a savory signal that it was National School Breakfast Week. Nestled on soft hamburger buns, the warm food was served alongside the Mount Vernon City School District’s regular breakfast offerings, giving scholars a hearty start to the day. The weeklong celebration — themed “The Quest for School Breakfast” — is part of a national campaign that highlights the importance of a nutritious morning meal.