Winter Bazaar Inspires and Rewards Positive Student Behavior

January 8th, 2025

The Murray Hill Middle School (MHMS) Winter Bazaar has become a beloved annual tradition at the school. The week-long event provides students the opportunity to spend their “Gotchas”— “currency” they earn by being respectful, responsible, or ready— on items donated by staff, parents, and community members.

The Bazaar began 10 years ago as part of the school’s Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program, which uses a variety of methods to encourage and reinforce positive student behavior.

Throughout the years, the Winter Bazaar has grown as the students, staff, and community became more invested in supporting the event. This has led to students exhibiting more positive behaviors and staff more readily recognizing how students exhibit being respectful, responsible and ready.

“The idea really was to give students something to work toward. It gave them the opportunity to save up their ‘Gotchas’ and use them to buy something for themselves or someone important in their lives,” explains MHMS seventh-grade math teacher Laura Behrens, who helps coordinate the Bazaar.

Thanks to generous donations from staff, parents, and community members, the Bazaar has grown over the years to include not just more items, but high-value ones, like video games and sneakers.

“It’s just amazing,” says Behrens. “We receive so many types of things: jewelry, books, stuffed animals, lotion, clothing, shoes, candles, etc. There’s basically something for every student to get excited about. It is really rewarding to watch and help students shop for their loved ones!”

There’s also something for every student “budget.”

“We’ve [intentionally] priced the items so students with any number of ‘Gotchas’ can purchase items,” adds MHMS Reading Specialist and PBIS Coach April Burnett, who works closely with Behrens to organize the Bazaar. “We want to make sure that the Bazaar is something all of our students have the opportunity to participate in and enjoy.”

MHMS students say the highlight of the Winter Bazaar is being able to purchase gifts for friends and family.

As seventh grader Natu notes, “It gives students a chance to give gifts and joy to their loved ones and friends.”

“Not everyone can afford to buy certain things [outside of the Bazaar]. It gives everyone a chance to be included in the holidays,” adds Ari, also in seventh grade.

“I can spoil my brothers with gifts and my favorite part about it is that I can use ‘Gotchas’. It’s not real money that I have to pay,” says student Adriana.

The Winter Bazaar is run entirely by volunteers from the school and the community.

“The event is a collaborative effort involving our entire school community,” notes MHMS Principal Tammy Jones. “It is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and reward our students who have earned ‘Gotchas’ for demonstrating behaviors that align with our schoolwide expectations and PBIS initiatives.”

The Winter Bazaar is one of many PBIS-related activities offered at MHMS throughout the year. The school also allows students to use their ‘“Gotchas” to purchase school supplies and other items at the school’s “Gotcha Store.” In addition, MHMS hosts a fall dance, spring social, game days, and a field day to foster a sense of community and celebrate the positive choices that students make everyday.

“We want to make middle school a positive environment for our students, where they are rewarded for making good choices and modeling positive behavior and have opportunities to put their ‘Gotchas’ to use in ways that they truly enjoy,” Burnett says.