If you asked Fords Prairie Elementary School Principal David Roberts what he thought Noah Markstrom, a Tiny Tiger who died at age 6 from brain cancer in November 2019, was doing now, he has an answer ready.
“Here’s what I think he was doing,” Roberts said to a gym full of Tiny Tigers and their teachers gathered in the Fords Prairie Elementary School gym on the last day of school Thursday. “I think Noah boarded a school bus and he went on an interstellar field trip and just kept on going, with all the cotton candy, popcorn and snacks and treats for just a great field trip off into the stars. And I still think of Noah that way because he was so exuberant and so excited about life.”
For the fourth year in a row, Fords Prairie Elementary School and Noah’s family awarded one current Tiny Tiger who embodies Noah’s exuberance, kindness and drive with the Noah Markstrom Award.
“Noah was brave. He was amazing. He was courageous. He was dedicated. He was absolutely hilarious. He was a great example of Tiny Tigers,” Roberts said Thursday.
This year’s winner, chosen from a list of 20 nominees, was sixth-grader Victor Fuerte.
“(Noah) just wanted to play hard. He wanted to study hard. He wanted to do everything hard. And this is the way this student is too,” Roberts said of Fuerte. “He’s been amazing. He’s been kind, compassionate, willing to listen and includes all his classmates, always smiles, and is there for everyone who needs him. He’ll be missed at Fords Prairie but he’s excited to go on to Centralia Middle School.”
Noah’s parents, Kyle and Kara Markstrom, presented Fuerte, who shares Noah’s love for fast cars, with an RC car, and tickets to see races at South Sound Speedway, as well as a South Sound Speedway hat, shirt and sweatshirt.
The other 19 nominees were given certificates and prizes as well, courtesy of Noah’s family.
Noah’s family founded the Noah Jon Markstrom Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises scholarships and student loan payment grants for students of pediatric medicine.
The foundation funded the installation of Noah’s Buddy Bench at Fords Prairie Elementary School in 2021.
For more information, visit https://www.noahjonmarkstromfoundation.org/.
The Noah Markstrom Award nominees weren’t the only students honored at Fords Prairie Elementary School on Thursday. Fords Prairie staff used the last day of school assembly to recognize a large handful of students for their academic successes and to give away bikes, donated by Lincoln Creek Lumber Co., to seven students who had good attendance and no referrals throughout the school year.
One of those students, Alice Blomstrom, was recognized for having perfect attendance for the last three years.
Two students, Mary-Jane Gober and Madeline Elliott, were also awarded bikes for their “amazing growth” in I-Ready math and I-Ready reading, respectively.
See a full list of bike recipients and Noah Markstrom award nominees below.
2023 Bike Recipients
Kindergarten: Rafael Turkell
First grade: Isabella Mosqueda
Second grade: Elijah Rosales
Third grade: Ronin Rogers
Fourth grade: Lilly Emery
Fifth grade: Andres Santiago Fernando
Sixth grade: Kenny Weagant
Perfect attendance: Alice Blomstram
I-Ready math: Mary-Jane Grober
I-Ready reading: Madeline Elliott
2023 Noah Markstrom Award Nominees
Aubrey Allison, Owen Bedsole, Charles Chenault, Sydney Debee, Michaela Dougherty, Caitlin Dougherty, Victor Fuerte, Juan Gaspar, Emy Glover, Itzel Leal Ponce, Ammarise Little, Madison McCully, Samantha Mora-Olivera, Joshua Pack, Idalyz Ramirez, Lilliana Rangel, Kevin Santiago Andrade, Norma Santiago Fernando, Axl Tatum and Natalie Tinsley.
