Student Success

Students were asked, through an anonymous survey, what they thought of The Keys to Success. Here are some of their answers.

1. What do you like about the Keys to Success?

I like that The Keys to Success program helps students to motivate them to do good things. - 8^th grade

I like the Keys to Success because it gives us the opportunity to learn what is good and what is bad. We get keys when a teacher sees you doing beyond what you should do everyday, showing us that they are grateful that we did something that was great and respectful. - 7^th grade

[The Keys] gives you an incentive to be your best. – 6^th grade

I like them because they motivate me to do my best. I also like how there is always a key of the week. Every week I try to do my best at the key of the week. - 4^th grade

It makes me remember about all the things that I need to do. – 4^th grade

I like the Keys to Success because it helps me be a better person to my friends. - 4^th grade

2. What is your favorite Key and why?

I like the motivation key because motivation is very important for everything basically, school work, sports. - 8^th grade

My favorite key is discipline because if everyone’s really trying in an activity then others will try too and you will have lots of fun. – 7^th grade

Effort because getting good grades takes a lot of effort. - 6^th grade

My favorite key is attitude, because with a positive attitude, it becomes easier to love, cooperate, prepare and all the things other keys represent. With a positive outlook on life, you will be able to achieve your goals. - 6^th grade

Effort, because it makes me do my best and to not hurry on things that take time and hard work. – 5^th grade

Cooperation because at recess we play soccer and work together. – 4^th grade

Preparation is my favorite Key because it helps me make sure I have my homework. – Jack, 4th

3. Do The Keys help you in becoming a better student?

The Keys help you become a better student because if you push yourself to do something you could get a key of effort. I think that kids want keys so they try to become a great student. The Keys encourage you to work harder. - 7^th grade

Yes, it does by rewarding me for making good choices. - 6^th grade

It helps me learn when I am in a situation and I think about the keys and think in my head which one I should use. - 6^th grade

Because they motivate me to try hard. - 5^th grade

Yes because when I follow the rules on the keys I get better grades and work is easier. –5^th grade

I’m more ready for school. –5^th grade

They [the Keys] encourage me [to] do my best and to not hurry on things that take time and hard work. – 5^th grade

[Be]Cause I want to be the best person I can (be)cause (of) the keys. – 3^rd grade

The keys show me that I am doing good and I want to do better. – 3^rd grade

4. Do you use The Keys skills at home or other places? Please explain.

Yes, because it rubs off on me and becomes a lifestyle. - 8^th grade

I can use effort and attitude in sports by not complaining about a bad call or by trying really hard. - 7^th grade

What I've learned in school doesn't stop when the bell rings. I try to be nice to other people too. - 7^th grade

I try to love my family and I give great effort when I play a sport. - 6^th grade

When I’m not getting along with my sister, cooperation reminds me to work it out. – 6^th grade

Yes, I show effort in soccer, basketball and baseball games. - 6^th grade

Yes, I use the key skills. When I am at home and I am mad it takes effort not to express anger. – 6^th grade

I try to do good things at home and around the neighborhood and it makes me feel good inside to know that I'm doing something right. - 5^th grade

When I do my chores without complaining. – 5^th grade

At home I help my mom and dad clean the house. – 4^th grade

I use the key skills at home when I share with my brother and sister. – 4^th grade

Yes I do! I always try to do a good thing for each key per day. It helps me to be a better person. - 4^th grade

I do use the key skills at home when I cooperate with my two brothers on what they want to do instead of me all the time. - 4^th grade

I use them [the Keys] everywhere. It allows people to know how good I can be. - 3^rd grade

I'm getting better at not talking back to my mom. - 2^nd grade

5. How do you feel when you receive a Key?

When I receive a key I feel like I have accomplished something that will benefit me later in life. – 7^th grade

When I receive a Key I feel like I am unlocking a new way to succeed in what I do day to day, like learning and helping. - 7^th grade

I feel good and appreciated for the things I do. I also feel the need to do more good. – 6^th grade

6. Describe a time when you received a Key that was especially meaningful for you.

When I told the truth when nobody else wanted to. - 8^th grade

When I got a key for tying a little kid's shoe and I wasn't even aware that anyone knew I did it. - 8^th grade

After my first speech meet when I received a red ribbon my teacher congratulated me with an effort key. - 6^th grade

My teacher gave me a key for getting an A on my vocab test. Vocab tests are really hard and take lots of studying to do. - 6^th grade

7. Have you noticed other students' actions that deserve a Key? Please give an example.

When kids stand up for what's right then they deserve a key.- 8^th grade

The teachers are good about giving keys to people who deserve them. - 6^th grade

Yes, a bunch of times like when I saw an 8th grader teach a 5th grader how to throw a football. - 6^th grade

When I am left out my friends are nice to me. - 6^th grade

Some kids work at fish fry and lots of kids come to school with a smile on their face that shows their prepared for school and happy to learn. - 5^th grade

8. Have you noticed someone outside of school who deserves a Key? Please give an example.

Yes, someone stopped a fight. - 8^th grade

Yes, Pope John Paul. - 8^th grade

I have seen somebody not in school deserve a key when somebody left before getting change for something and a man grabbed the change and catched [caught] up to the lady and gave her her change. - 6th grade

I think my mom deserves a key for effort. If she got the effort key it would be for taking such good care of me and my brother. She is a single mother and I really appreciate her. – 7^th grade

My parents [deserve a key] they help me with everything I do. – 5^th grade

Doctors, dentists, gardeners, farmer, bankers, teachers and everyone that does their best in the things they do everyday. - 5^th grade

What Students Are Saying

"I like that kids actually get noticed for doing good and not just bad." - Fifth grade student

"I like them because they motivate me to do my best. I also like how there is always a key of the week. Every week I try to do my best at the key of the week." - Fourth grade student

"I’m more ready for school." – Fifth grade student

"It makes me remember about all the things that I need to do." – Fourth grade student

"My favorite key is attitude, because with a positive attitude, it becomes easier to love, cooperate, prepare and all the things other keys represent." - Sixth grade student

"Preparation is my favorite Key because it helps me make sure I have my homework." – Fourth grade student

"They [The Keys] challenge you to be good." – Eighth grade student

[The Keys program] gives you an incentive to be your best. – Sixth grade student

"When I receive a key I feel like I have accomplished something that will benefit me later in life." – Seventh grade student

"When I’m not getting along with my sister, cooperation reminds me to work it out." – Sixth grade student

What Teachers Are Saying

"Any child that values keys – and most do – will figure out which actions will merit a key in my classroom."

“I enjoy looking for opportunities to notice the positive. It is so easy to hand out a key spontaneously than to fill out forms!”

“I enjoy the class keys because it acknowledges their behavior as a group. They have improved their behavior during the class and in the hallway because they know I am watching.”

“I have used it as a positive reinforcement tool for students that maybe aren’t always as kind and considerate as they should be. It does redirect negative behavior.”

“I think the students are more aware of their actions. They Keys program encourages and motivates students to try their hardest.”

“It helps build self-esteem and anyone can earn them. Your grades are not the determining factor. Students beam when they count their keys each month and realize that each key stands for something special they have done to earn those keys.”

"It is good to have something tangible to reward good behavior with...It is a more 'concrete' method of reinforcing what is expected than only verbal rewards or remarks on a report card."

“It often works to get work/projects done early and often helps students volunteer for jobs/other activities.”

“It’s an immediate reward for the children’s behavior. I like the variety of keys – all with different meanings. It’s a fun way to reward. [It] teaches them also to save their keys for a bigger prize.”

"Students are more motivated when completing class work and…the students are more caring towards one another."

"When I hand out keys for clean cubbies, suddenly, the others start looking neater. If I seem to be having an extra quiet class, a few keys passed out seems to stir the pot and participation. They also seem to improve memory.”

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Student Success

What Students Are Saying

What Teachers Are Saying

"Students are more motivated when completing class work and…the students are more caring towards one another."