Student of the week: Burns Elementary

“You gotta really always do your best,” exclaimed Burns elementary sixth grader, Mercedes Bartels, when she was asked how to succeed in grade school.

Mecedes is the daughter of Jeff and Lysa Bartels of Burns and sister of first grader John.

When asked what makes her smile as she comes through the school door in the mornings, she said, “math.”

“I get challenged in math and Mrs. Ana (Elisabeth Anadiotis) lets us work ahead,” explained Bartels.

“I don’t like the school lunches. If I had it my way, I would bring a cold lunch every day.”

Along with being challenged by math and liking cold lunches,...