COLUMBIA, S.C. — In December, students at Carver-Lyon Elementary had a special visit from the Columbia Fire Department. Students with the highest growth in their assessment scores were promised a bike.
On Friday, Casyn Dozier and his mom, Kiera Allen, celebrated his achievements together.
"I'm a very proud mom, and we have been learning and making quite a few effort points this whole school year, so I'm excited for him, and I'm glad he got this opportunity to be able to win a bike," Allen said.
The STAR assessment is given to students three times a year, and teachers use the results to guide learning inside the classroom.
"We want our students to realize that there's an opportunity for you to grow every day, and just putting forth that effort, you can be rewarded for that," school principal Monica Adams said. "I wanted my students to see that you don't have to be at the top, but we do want to make sure that you're growing."
Columbia Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins is a proud alumnus of Carver Elementary and is giving back to the students.
"We're just giving them something; they played the major part in their success, and that's what it's all about - making sure that they know that they can be successful," he said.
Chief Jenkins purchased and donated all 12 bikes.
"It's a small price to pay to buy these bicycles in order to see some smiles on their faces - especially when they were coming down to get the bikes," he said. "It's just a small price to pay."