As the end of the second semester and end of the school year at Pattonville High School rolls around, the MVP Awards come knocking on students and teachers doors.

The MVP Award is a tradition at PHS and it stands for Most Valuable Pirate, and every teacher is responsible for selecting a student who they think is exemplary in and out of the classroom. It is considered to be an honor to win one of these awards as a student, and since teachers are only allowed to select one student as their MVP, teachers typically choose carefully. Medals are given to each student which are meant to be worn at their graduation.

“There are no set criteria for the award,” English teacher and Renaissance sponsor Mrs. Beth Moritz said. “We take academic excellence, work ethic, and overcoming obstacles into account. There will be students chosen that aren’t the strongest academically, but excel in other ways that benefit the classroom and the school as a whole.”

Students receive an invitation at school and a letter is mailed home to notify their parents of their selection, but students do not know the teacher who selected them until the day of the ceremony.

“We also select students that go above and beyond what they’re expected, have great leadership qualities, a good sense of humor, great attitude, and do things willingly that aren’t expected.” English teacher Mrs. Sara Hubbard said.

Junior Carter Yarnell received an invitation to the ceremony and said he was very excited when he first heard that he got selected as an MVP.

“I’m very flattered to have earned this award, because every teacher only gets one selection,” Yarnell said. “And I’m honored to be the top student to one of my teachers.”

Teachers wrote a short message about their selected student that will be read as the student and teacher walk across the stage to meet each other at the medal ceremony.

The MVP Awards at Pattonville High School are Thursday, April 17, in the auditorium at 1:30 p.m.