SOAR Program Lifts Students to New Heights at Forrest Elementary in Wasco

A walk through the outdoor corridors of James A. Forrest Elementary in Wasco on a Friday morning reveals something powerful at work. Students are easily spotted clutching bright SOAR bucks, eager to show what they’ve earned. Some explain how they picked up trash on the playground or stayed on task in class, while others excitedly talk about saving up for a bigger prize in the SOAR Store. The pride on their faces says it all — the rewards matter, and so does the effort behind them.

The school’s new SOAR program — which stands for Self Control, On Task, Act Responsibly, Respectful — was just introduced this school year and has quickly become a cornerstone of campus culture, helping students learn responsibility while strengthening connections with staff.

It was designed to reinforce positive behavior while also giving students opportunities to learn from mistakes through restorative practices. Staff members across the campus can reward SOAR bucks for actions such as staying engaged in class, following cafeteria rules, or even picking up trash on the playground. Students with perfect weekly attendance also receive a special pink $5 SOAR buck, a system that has helped boost attendance rates.

The SOAR Store has quickly become a highlight of the program. Stocked with prizes ranging in value from 1 to 100 SOAR bucks, it gives students the chance to save up for big-ticket items or make smaller purchases more frequently.

“The SOAR store has been a phenomenal motivator for the students,” said Principal Steffanie A. Pollard. “Some students are choosing to save their bucks to purchase the larger items, while some choose to make a purchase every time they visit. As a staff, we love that students are learning money management along with other great life lessons that will aid them in their adult life.”

Stocked with prizes ranging in value from 1 to 100 SOAR bucks, the SOAR Store it gives students the chance to save up for big-ticket items or make smaller purchases more frequently.

That money management piece has become a subtle but powerful extension of the program. Students must decide whether to spend immediately or save over time, weighing wants versus needs. Teachers have noted that this real-world practice is giving children an early introduction to financial literacy, helping them understand budgeting, saving, and the long-term payoff of patience.

SOAR also offers quarterly rewards through its Eagles’ Flight program. Students who accumulate at least 250 points out of a possible 400 in a grading period qualify for a special reward day.

To measure its success, Forrest Elementary tracks discipline data, attendance, and the number of students qualifying for rewards, while also gauging teacher and student morale. Early results have been encouraging, with fewer behavioral issues and stronger relationships between students and staff.

“SOAR has definitely improved our school culture,” Pollard said. “Our students are excited to come to school, they want to make positive choices, and they are engaging with all of our staff members.”

Pollard was quick to credit the team effort behind the program’s success, pointing to Counselor Pat Torres and Behavior Intervention Specialists Jodi Graham and Vanessa Seymour for their leadership, along with staff, parents, and community partners who have donated items to the SOAR Store.

“Programs like this are only as successful as the teams involved, and our team has gone over and beyond to create a successful program,” she said.