The Barnegat Township Board of Education recognized six students with “Upstander Awards” at its Jan. 30 meeting. Implemented by the school district in September 2018, the Upstander initative encourages children to be the best versions of themselves, creating a positive community that lifts others up instead of putting them down.

“The Upstander program gets its name because it is the opposite of a bystander,” said Michelle Johns, district supervisor of guidance.