Cunningham Elementary sixth graders Rachel Worthington and Thomas Sandoval were honored as Turlock Unified School District’s Character Counts Students of the Month for December and the character trait of caring.

Rachel is a GATE student who enjoys reading, writing, Odyssey of the Mind activities and she is active in her church.

During her inspirational message to the Board of Trustees she said, “caring is about helping others rather than focusing on yourself.”

She noted that public education is a 12-year marathon and GATE allows her to learn at her fastest pace while exploring the strategies to do help her best.

“Responsibility is really two words and to me responsibility means the ability to respond,” she said.

She says what she enjoys most about Cunningham is relating her learning into discussions with her peers.

Thomas is a consistent honor roll student and Principal Tami Truax described him as a positive role model at the school.

He is an active participant in the student character counts campus video series, Kids Want to Know.

His future goals are to go to college and play basketball or baseball at the professional level. He also would like to follow in his father, Raul, and to be a cabinet maker.

When asked what he wants more than anything for the world he said, “World Peace and no more chaos.”