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Mount Vernon Woods Elementary School turned regular attendance into a spirited competition in February, inviting students with perfect attendance during Attendance Spirit Week to compete in the school’s first UNO tournament.

Students from every grade were eligible. Those who attended class each day that week entered a drawing, and approximately 20 students per grade were selected to play.

In the music room, excited kindergarteners gathered on a colorful mat for a break from their usual routine. They competed in groups of four, with each winner advancing to a final round before cheering classmates. Every grade-level champion received a winner’s poster to display on their classroom door.

School social worker Priscilla Guevara, a member of the attendance committee, proposed the tournament while staff members were brainstorming ways to make students feel welcome and excited about coming to school.

“We want children to feel wanted here and know that we miss them when they are not in school for whatever reason that may be,” Guevara said.

She said the tournament offered a fun way to engage students and encourage them to attend every day. The effort also supported the school’s broader focus on building community and belonging, as well as the attendance and academic-success priorities described in the FCPS Strategic Plan.

Fourth grader Mia said students should stay home only when they are sick because attending school is important.

The card game offered lessons beyond attendance. Younger students practiced recognizing colors and numbers, while players across grade levels learned about taking turns, coping with defeat, supporting classmates and celebrating victories.

Kindergartener Zuri had a straightforward reason for showing up: “Of course it’s important to come to school,” she said, “because we have to learn!”