Munising Middle School students were offered incentives and fun if their score improved a significant amount. April is the typical testing time for grades K-11, and April can be very draining due to the hours and hours of state required testing.

Addie Bowerman said that some people in her grade didn’t really care much about testing before the incentive was offered. Addie Bowerman took seven tests which included three NWEA, M Step, SEL, PSAT and NAEPP, with each test taking at least an hour.

Bowerman was one of the score leaders in reading, higher level questions, and general knowledge. She improved by 10 points in language, and math went up by 21 points. Bowerman and other middle students earned free gym time. She said, “I would usually play basketball, pepper volleyballs, or sometimes we get to use everything in the equipment room.” Bowerman also felt that grade eight testing was by far the hardest she has done all year.

Everett Nettleton stated, “There were a lot of questions; it was easier for me.” Nettleson is also in grade eight and most of the testing was done on computer and was adaptive. Nettleton said, “I feel like I did really well on math. I went up 15 points. I knew more about how to read the questions and [the program ] would tell me if I got it wrong.”

Story problems, coordinates, decimals, positive and negative numbers were some of the items that Nettleton was tested on in math.

Everett Nettleton said the test incentives and rewards made him want to try more and that his teacher, Ms. Gaynor, hyped him up for the test.

Twelve students won local Dairy Queen certificates. Only students who improved an impressive amount could enter the drawing for improving in math or English Language Arts.