By Dr. Ferrell Miller
JC Breakfast Optimist Club
Each month during the school year, the JC Breakfast Optimist Club honors a Junction City High School Student of the Month. Students are nominated by the high school staff, selected by the Junior Optimist Club and honored by the adult club. JC’s BBQ & Grill provides a $25.00 gift certificate and the club presents the student with a framed certificate.
Rocio Casco-Martinez was honored as the JC Breakfast Optimist Club’s Junction City High School Student of the Month. Lyn Green, English Learners teacher at JCHS stated that “when Rocio was in the 8th grade, she and her family moved to the United States from Honduras. She devoted herself to reading, writing, speaking and listening in the English language, while continuing to grow in her first language of Spanish. In only a few short years Rocio scored proficient on the Kansas English Language Proficiency Assessment (KELPA) and exited the EL program at the high school.
During this school year, Rocio was sked to join the Student to Student (S2S) Advisory at JCHS. She helps welcome all 10-12 new students who enroll in and attend the school. She gives school tours, meets with teachers, eats lunch with new students, answers questions, and is an ambassador for the school.
Rocio is a Teacher’s Assistant and helps students who need Spanish to English translation every day. She also assists students with pronunciation and vocabulary development in both English and Spanish, encourages confidence in other students. She is also a manager for the Girl’s Soccer Team, a member of the Nation Honor Society and HOSA, a group for future health professionals.
After graduation, Rocio hopes to attend college, followed by medical school to become a surgeon.”