The board and staff members of LOOP NOLA are proud to announce that Ms. Joy Askin’s 8th Grade Class at Esperanza Charter School is the 2018 Dan Forman Memorial Leadership Class Award winner! Ms. Askin’s Homeroom 8A class participated in three LOOP NOLA outdoor programs this school year including low and high ropes challenges and fishing at Myrtle Grove Marina. The award is given to a LOOP NOLA class who embodies the passion for the outdoors, leadership, and teamwork of LOOP NOLA’s founder Dan Forman, who passed away in 2012. Here are a few selections from their nomination:

Leadership

“This class is encouraging of one another and goes out of their way to lift up and act as cheerleaders for one another. One of the best moments working with this class was watching them assist and teach each other how to cast with the fishing poles. Several students were struggling, and several others stayed back to help them learn.”

Teamwork

“This is an excellent class and is highly deserved of the Dan Forman award. The relationship between Ms. Askin and her students is a rare one and the mutual respect shown between them is apparent. She holds them to a high standard and they surpass those expectations.”

“They had this infectious quality of positivity that you don’t see in a lot of middle school groups. They genuinely cared about one another and I left impressed by their teamwork and attitude after every program.”

Passion for the Outdoors

“This class always seemed to enjoy the outdoors. One of their outings it began to rain and they still remained in good spirits. They kept a positive attitude even when it was cold.”

As the 2018 class award winner, Ms. Askin’s class will receive a free LOOP NOLA outdoor program of their choice along with a commemorative award and pizza party. The students’ reactions to winning the award were heartfelt and inspiring:

"I feel very honored because this has never happened to us.  We all like the outdoors because we get to communicate and interact with nature.  I feel like "WOW, my class is awesome!" (Shirley R.)

"I'm happy to be the FIRST to receive this award in honor of a really great man.  Thank you!" (Charles B.)

"I'm surprised and happy because out of all the classes, they picked us!" (Lawrence M.)

"I feel very honored and happy that our class won this award.  I am very excited to go with my class to LOOP again." (Nelly G.)

Congratulations to Ms. Askin’s class!