Choices In Learning Elementary School (CIL) has been supporting and celebrating the UCF football season in style. Thanks to principal Dr. Rodriguez, the students show off their school spirit in gold and black on designated days, swapping out their usual uniforms for some Knight pride.
Dr.Rodriguez beams with pride over the fact that 90% of the school’s staff and teachers are also UCF graduates.
“It’s not just my alma mater, it’s like the alma mater of the campus,” he shared. He explained that when he joined the school, he tallied up where everyone went to university and saw that the majority were Knights. This is just one of the ways in which the small things make a difference on the CIL campus.
CIL’s commitment to a positive school culture shows in more ways than just wearing UCF colors. According to Niche.com’s Annual School Rankings, CIL is the #1 public elementary school in the Orlando area and ranks 15th in the state among high-performing public elementary schools, out of a whopping 2,243. CIL makes sure the students and staff can enjoy the fruits of their labor. “Work hard, play hard, you know you want to incentivize things. You can show people – if we work hard, we can do this,” the principal expressed.
These special days are a hit among students. One enthusiastic 4th grader said these are the times she looks forward to the most. “We do have to wear uniforms usually, so when we get to show our personality and clothes, It’s fun,” she said. “Last year it felt like we did that often. I really love all the spirit days we have.”
This is just the beginning of a year full of fun and motivation for the cheetahs at CIL. Dr. Rodriguez plans to continue with a healthy balance of motivating incentives to promote a deeper goal. “It gives people something to aspire to and to work for and it’s been successful. It creates a positive culture,” he explained. “That's the most important thing for me at any school campus, a positive culture. Because if you have a positive culture, and you have an organization people want to be a part of, and people are proud to be a part of, great results will follow.”
