5-Year-Old in the Running to Win School $30K

Gabby and her mom bond over new recipes.

Five-year-old Gabby Malkomes is a girl of few words, but her contagious smile says it all. The Martha Reid Leadership Academy student has Down Syndrome and lights up every time she helps her mother cook.

Thanks to her cooking skills and bubbly personality, Gabby now has the opportunity to win a $30,000 cafeteria makeover for her school.

Gabby’s mother entered the two of them in the nationwide Ben’s Beginners cooking photo contest, sponsored by Mars Food. The goal of the contest is to promote wholesome diets.

The judges recently picked their top 25 pictures, and the Malkomes family made the cut with a peanut butter rice flan.

“I created around eight recipes using their products, took pictures of Gabby and I cooking them together, and submitted them,” said Luciana Malkomes. “They received more than 500 entries.”

The picture was selected by judges and is up for public voting.

The top five winners will receive a $15,000 check and an additional $30,000 check to be used toward a cafeteria makeover for the child’s school. Winners are determined based on public votes, creativity, presentation of dish and appetite appeal.

“I'm really excited about this opportunity to win this huge prize for the school,” the mother continued.

Public voting is open now through Nov. 6. Grand prize winners will be announced in December.

MISD Kids Find Their Genius Through Clubs

On Fridays, there’s an extra pep in the step of the third and fourth-graders at Martha Reid Elementary School, but it’s not because the weekend is near.

The students know that if they do their school work Monday through Thursday, there’s a special period Friday morning where they can engage in different clubs.

Origami, the art of folding paper, is intriguing to the students.

Principal Rebecca Stephens said the idea was implemented in the second six weeks to coincide with one of the guiding statements of Vision 2020, Mansfield ISD’s new strategic plan, which states that students will participate in an extracurricular or co-curricular activity.

“Every kid has an interest; every kid has their genius,” said Stephens. “We’re giving them the opportunity to try different clubs to see what they like to do outside of school.”

She added that having the clubs during the day gives students who may not be able to come early or stay later an opportunity to participate in the different activities as well

Origami, science, music, drama, robotics, Legos and kindness are just some of the various offerings each six weeks. There’s also a Book Buddies Club in which the older children read to the younger ones.

Students said that reading is more fun with partners.

“I like reading because it helps me learn, and I can get a job one day because of it,” said third-grader Keller Johnson, who enjoys being a book buddy.

Stephens added that it’s not just about having fun. The Friday clubs give children something to look forward to throughout the week.

“It has made a difference because they have the intrinsic motivation to do well at school and be a part of school, and they take ownership in that.” she said.

Next semester, the club rotations will be available for the second-graders as well.

Elementary School Focuses on Teaching the Heart and Mind

Sara Buchan and two of her students who have earned blue butterflies.

Although Friday is the last day of National Random Act of Kindness Week, Martha Reid Elementary School spreads the kindness year-round.

Students and staff have all taken part of the Kindness Challenge. It’s an initiative started by first grade teacher Sara Buchan who wanted to teach children how to pay it forward.

“I can make them brilliant in math, but if they do not have social and emotional intelligence, I have failed them,” said Buchan.

The eight-year Mansfield ISD teacher started incorporating what she coined as a kindness mat. The mat is a non-reward-based sheet of paper with different nice gestures students can do. She later contacted the founder of Secret Blue Butterfly and received blue butterflies for teachers to hand out to students who go above and beyond.

The blue butterflies hang to remind students and staff
to spread kindness.

An entire hallway is adorned with blue butterflies hanging from the ceiling as a reminder to children to pollinate the world with kindness and love.

“None of this could have happened without the support I received from the principal and teachers,” said Buchan. “We have a segment on the morning announcements about the Kindness Challenge, and everyone has really bought into the whole idea of promoting joy.”

The saying is true: a little bit of kindness goes a long way. Reid Elementary staff hopes the kids use the lessons learned to continue having a heart of compassion as they grow older.