"But it doesn't mean anything!"


I'm still gonna brag about it, anyway

We went to the Senior Awards Ceremony last night, because we got a letter in the mail that said, "Be there. Your kid's getting something." I figured it'd take an hour, maybe an hour and a half. It should just be the Academic Pep Assembly all over, but without the lower three grades, right?

Two-and-a-half hours later, we finally escaped. Turns out there are some awards that every senior with better than a 3.5 grade point average (and who hasn't cheesed-off the faculty) receives. Since #1-Son's graduating with over 500 other people, that makes for a hella list, and they read everybody who showed up's name off and college choice (yes, we're still listed as Undecided) and ran them across the stage. On top of all the real awards / scholarships handed out... *sighs* Needless to say, we won't be doing that next year for #2-Son, even should he receive any.

So, here are the awards and scholarships #1-Son received:

Bright Flight Scholar
National Merit Finalist (he's receiving $1500 a year from the Big Airplane Company for this -- aka the Books, Supplies, and Pizza scholarship)
Large High School Academic Excellence Scholar (cumulative grade point average over 4.0, I think)
George Washington Carver Award (state recognition of academic achievement -- signed by Governor Nixon's machine)
President's Award for Educational Excellence
Gold Career Scholar-Artist (overall grade point average above 4.0 plus Scholar-Artist designation for this year and at least two others; the yearly designation requires meeting a certain grade point both overall and within the art discipline and performing certain activities beyond showing up for class)

He walked out of there with a medal, a pen, a pin, two large plaques, and a folder full of certificates. Everything but the pen will go in some drawer, to be finally moved out with all his junk when I decide he doesn't live here any more.

He'll have a stole to designate Bright Flight and a hood to designate National Merit when he goes through Commencement. He should have both overall and music department Honor Cords, too, if I understand these things correctly.

P.S. This should warm the cockles of my dad's heart: Large High is sending three kids to the Air Force Academy and one to West Point. Four to the AFA, if you count one that moved out-of-state last summer. Since the chances of any application to that institution being accepted are between 1:9 and 1:10, four from one high school class is a pretty decent showing.

Posted: Thu - April 23, 2009 at 11:47 AM   Home         | | View Technorati reactions

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