ROCHELLE — A $10,000 gift from the Rochelle Township High School Class of 1961 has enabled the RTHS Renaissance Academic & Attendance Rewards program to expand this year, the 30th anniversary of the program in which about 70 percent of students participate.

Renaissance is powered by three themes: the principles of performance, promotion and partnerships. Each principal contributes critical life and energy to the whole.

Renaissance card holders are awarded membership cards on four levels.

Gold Plus Renaissance is for those having attained straight A’s, no more than two school absences and no suspensions in or from school in the previous semester. The Gold Plus cardholders claim the greatest rewards from local business partners.

Gold Renaissance cardholders must have achieved a GPA of 3.6 or better, no more than three school absences and no suspensions.

Purple Renaissance cardholders must have earned a 3.0 or better GPA, no more than four absences and no suspensions the previous semester.

White Renaissance cardholders have had zero out of school suspension infractions and attained at least one of the following: .25 GPA improvement, 50+ percent improvement in in-school suspensions and perfect attendance the previous semester.

Renaissance Rewards include: Renaissance t-shirts (coming in Jan. 2022), quarterly early lunch releases, a chance at nominations for fall & spring Renaissance recognition breakfasts, a shot at end of year Renaissance assembly prizes for each quarter of perfect attendance and use of coupons & discounts provided by local businesses

Through the generosity of the RTHS Class of 1961 and an additional $1,000 gift from the Rochelle Rotary Club, RTHS has expanded Renaissance Rewards to focus on students and staff members who demonstrate exemplary critical thinking skills. 

Each month students will be nominated by staff members who have seen proof of (or growth in) the student’s critical thinking skills. A  monthly $100 cash prize will be awarded to a student, 25 percent of which will be donated to the local non-profit of the student’s choice. Also monthly, a staff member will be chosen to receive a $100 cash gift, 25 percent of which will be donated to a local non-profit of the staff member’s choice.   

Monthly winner names will go into a drawing for an additional Renaissance Reward at the end of the year assembly when all sorts of prizes are awarded.   

The Renaissance Rewards Assembly is made possible by the generous and perennial support of many, many local businesses and individuals.

“RTHS certainly appreciates the relationships alumni maintain with us as well as their gifting,” RTHS Superintendent Jason Harper said. “This particular gift is very well-timed. The pandemic has had us all on our toes continually adapting and thinking critically as we tackle all of the challenges that shut downs, virtual learning and hybrid learning forced us to work through.”