HILLMAN — Students at Hillman Junior Senior High School were treated to a fun day Friday that culminated with prizes being given out for good behavior.

The planning to implement the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support program came from a committee established between Hillman Community Schools and the Alpena-Montmorency-Alcona Educational Service District began in the fall of 2016, according to Geri Samp, a teacher consultant for the AMA ESD.

A part of the roll-out was creating a unique acronym for students to rally behind. The school choose PAWS which stood for the math equation: Postive plus Attitude plus Work equal Success.

“(The district) is filled with great kids and a supportive community,” she said. “Our PBIS PAWS initiative is to reward and reinforce positive behavior. It is to encourage good behaviors that are already happening, but also to bring an incentive to other students who may need positive behavior enforcement.”

The school day took students out of their normal classroom and were given lessons on the behavior expected from students in different school situations.

The students boarded buses during first hour to learn how to keep it a clean and safe environment. With all the lessons, students were taught examples of both acceptable and unacceptable behavior.

For the other hours students went to various places such as the hallway and common area to receive lessons on behavior expected in those places as well as the bathroom and in the community.

The day culminated with a pep rally in the gym with Superintendent Jason McElrath showing two videos staff from the school made. The second video showed why teachers were inspired to come to work.

In the video various teachers explained to different students what was inspirational to them. For some it was their personalities, their yearning to learn every day and others for their goals in life.

Students who had received Paw Bucks — rewards for their good behavior — were placed into a drawing for 50 prizes to be awarded during the rally. McElrath also asked the student body if it was up to the challenge Atlanta Community Schools had presented to Hillman on Monday.

When Atlanta implemented its PBIS program, students there challenged Hillman to the mannequin challenge. Students energetically accepted the challenge on Friday.

McElrath said teachers even received new apparel to really showcase to students the importance of the program. He said students also will have more chances to win prizes through the remaining school year with an end-of-year rally scheduled for a grand prize.

“The big think is making the effort on our part,” he said. “We have to make the students feel they are being rewarded.”

With Hillman Elementary having rolled out its version of PBIS last year, every district in the AMA ESD is now involved in the PBIS program.

Tyler Winowiecki can be reached via email at twinowiecki@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5688. Follow Tyler on Twitter tw_alpenanews.