It was a night to remember at the center courtyard of the Safford Middle School as students sparkled beneath the stars and lights Oct. 30.

The annual SMS AIMS Recognition was no ordinary affair as more than 250 students, parents and faculty applauded the academic achievements of 80 students who achieved excelling in one or more categories of the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards for the 2007/2008 school year.

“This was my first time exceeding in all three areas,” 14-year-old Justus Villalba, now a freshmen at Safford High School, said.

Applauding students as they are awarded for excellent AIMS scores are, from left, teachers Bill Black, Mike Green, Ben Redes, Stephany Robinson, Natalie Reynolds and Jenifer Seale. Contributed photo

Villalba was one of the 12 eighth-graders who exceeded in more than one area on the AIMS standardized test, which tests in reading, writing and arithmetic. There were also eight seventh-graders who hit the exceeds category in the areas of reading and math, but only Nicholas Tran earned the exceeding category in all three areas.

“It was a terrific night with a wonderful turnout of students, parents and staff,” Superintendant Mark Tregaskes said. “The staff is doing a tremendous job not only with events like that night, but with the whole tone of the Safford Middle School. It’s a great place to be.”

Tregaskes also said SMS has made improvements in many other areas, such as its state-of the-art laptop initiative and a greater use of technology. Other programs have also been implemented, from a new standards-based, online program known as Galileo to a revised mission statement.

“Our mission as a district is that all students will be contributing and responsible, and in order to do that we are providing multiple paths available for students and staff as well as the necessary training for the faculty,” Tregaskes said.

Principal Clay Emery shares this same mission and has a list of goals and ideas for the new direction that the school is taking. One goal, he said, is to maintain the status of highly performing for a third consecutive year or become an excelling school. Due to the high number of students who achieved this honor, the program had to be moved to a more spacious location.

“Last year, we had 62 (students), and this year we had 80 exceed on at least one test. That means we potentially had to make room for 60 more people, and we were tight last year in the library,” Emery said.

Emery said the occasion was positive and well-attended, with an elegant touch from the lighting and crystal-clear weather. He commended the efforts of the parents, students, faculty and site council for their hard work and for organizing the near-perfect evening.

“This event is a reflection of the many positive things happening at SMS,” Tregaskes said.

Seventh grade (*scored in more than one area)

Audree Adams-Dupont, Jordan McBride, Moria Bingham, Quincy Buckley, Mikala Burge, Karina Burreson, Sunny Cabrera, Mark Carpenter, Nia Carpenter, Trevor Casperson, Aaron Fox, Matthew Garza, Thania Carolina Gil-Ayala, Devin Gonzales, Willow Goodwin, Wyatt Henderson, Brendan Holguin, Chantell Judd, Ryan Karnes and Austen Larson.

Eighth grade (*scored in more than one area)

Matthew Artman, Will Black, Maverick Buckley, Jose Castro, Ashley Dawson, Zacharias Etter, Dewitt Evans, Sonni Finch, Spencer Farar, Desmond Fullen, Shea Green, Stephanie Green, Jennifer Huffman, Tanner Johnson, Tori Johnson, Kailey Jones, Adam Marquez, Sabrina Montano, Gabrielle Rios, Destinee Ogas, Weston Lewis, Teddie Maki, Damian Mitchell, Shaine Moir, Blanca Orona, Kendall Ortiz, Shelby Peck, Tyler Post, Kaycie Quinonez, Michael Quintero, Josh Reynolds, Rene Reynolds, Rosalio Rocha, Nick Smallwood, Alicia Smith, Nicholas Tran, David Tripp, Jessica Tysoe, Jesse Whetten, Nathan Montierth, Riki Olivas, Hannah Ridinger, Zac Russell, Kevin Schulz, Thomas Taylor, Justus Villalba, George Vlassis, Katelyn Worley, Levi Ybarra, Dustin Young, Tyler Byrd, Weston Evans, James Gutierrez, Adrian Saiz, Alexandria Sumner, Cassandra Garcia and Destinee Sesma.