Union City Elementary rewards students with cash, prizes for TCAP success
KBSI FOX23 News at 9 p.m.
UNION CITY, Tenn., (KBSI) — Nearly 140 Union City Elementary students are walking away with more than bragging rights after excelling on last spring’s Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program exams.
On Friday, Principal Allison Palmer and assistant principals Bill Kail and Maggie Miller handed out certificates redeemable for $50 to 67 former third graders and 71 former fourth graders, who returned from Union City Middle School for the ceremony. In total, more than $7,000 was awarded.
The recognition was part of the school’s incentive program for students who met or exceeded expectations in reading, math or both subjects on the statewide test.
“This was a chance to show our students that hard work pays off,” Palmer said. “I believe it was important for this year’s third-grade group to witness what can happen when you strive to do your best on the TCAPs. They saw the genuine excitement on the faces of those students we honored, and I’m confident they’ll want to be among that group next year.”
Eight honorees received additional prizes through a random drawing, including two iPads, two electric scooters, two $100 Amazon shopping sprees and a pair of Beats headphones.
Palmer invited the current third-grade class to attend the celebration as motivation to work toward similar rewards when they take the test in April 2026.
Administrators said the effort underscores the school’s commitment to fostering both academic achievement and student engagement. “We were so happy to reward our students for a job well done,” Palmer said on behalf of herself, Kail and Miller.
Photographs released by the school show the smiling groups of students, with honorees representing both last year’s third- and fourth-grade classes, now moving forward in their academic journeys.
