Last year North’s staff introduced a new form of positive reinforcement, North Nickels. These wooden nickels were given out when a staff member saw a student following T.R.I.B.E. Tennents and they could be used at the North Nest in room 112 or on special event days, like Pie Day or Ice Cream Day. It was a good idea that started out strong and had students excited about helping each other. The excitement died off quickly though as the number of nickels being passed out diminished. Many students then gave up on being “good enough” to earn nickels and went about their days at North like they used to before nickels came along. To most students, the nickels are as good as gone and when event days come around they can’t get anything.

Staff members at North need to pass out these nickels more often to reward students that are doing good things. Every day lots of students are going the extra mile to help someone and it makes a world of difference to students if they are recognized for their efforts. Also, certain event days allow students to get items that they wouldn’t be able to get otherwise, like the pies on Pie Day. Those pies may be the only pie some students get on Thanksgiving and more of them should be able to get a pie if they deserve it. Currently, there are around 1,200 nickels in circulation, so if the problem is not having enough coins then making more would be the easiest solution. Whether the problem is passing them out or the number in circulation, a solution should be found.