Parents of the HS Class of 2009

[missypie]

I wonder what percentage of Vals and Sals are looking forward to giving their speech and what percentage are dreading it.

[RochesterMom]

I can't wait to here the Val for my D's class. The guy and D are great friends and he is a terrific speaker and funny. Hopefully the teachers don't get to town him down. He's just too good. His Cross Country speech got a standing ovation this year from the parents. Don't think that has ever happened.

[downtoearth]

My D will speak as class pres. she likes to speak but gets nervous. Awards can be so political. Awesome to get money. I don't remember much about the ones.that got away they have gotten their share of awards and dissapointment.
It's good to know that everyone else is a puddle. I am experiencing a health issue and this is really all getting very hard. clouds the whole issue. I really need that gap year.

[SJTH]

Well, the first "last" today here in the SJTH household. S2 has the public presentation of his final 6 month senior projects (we call it "Senior Exhibition.") I welled up watching one of his oldest friends yesterday, and I'm positive I will this pm at his, as he has a jazz combo playing (topic is the effect of social conflict on jazz over the last decade).

THEN senioritis will really kick in.

[oregon101]

JolynneSmith--forgot to answer your question about the fan--it is aprrox 42" and about 10.5 lbs. S gave it the thumbs up and SAID, "I like it".

[ellemenope]

D and her best friend are to co-vals of their high school class and plan to give a speech together. I think I am dreading it more than they are! They have been planning this co-val thing since they were in 9th grade and both got all A's on their report cards. It's been the fulfillment of a long term goal for them.

[Treetopleaf]

Those awards... Well, I can't complain - DD got 'student of the week' (each class gave this out each week) in grade school, once, after the 1st week of school - it was probably the only week she was well enough behaved to get the award, and they pounced!

I'm not teary about the end of HS, perhaps because I'm still waiting for the school to take the pains to make an announcement on the math and/or science team successes. Is someone not doing their job

[PRJ]

I think you need to watch Fantasia another time.

Thank you, sharonohio! At D's graduation I will close my eyes and imagine Donald Duck directing animal traffic onto the ark! A surefire way to stop the tears

For others who need this kind of "therapy":

YouTube - Donald Duck - Noah's Ark (1999)!!!

[#theorymom]

Son did get a small scholarship and although I am grateful, I think I'm going to talk to the booster club president later on about how the recipients are chosen. It seems like the organizational scholarships - band, choir, theater, etc. - shouldn't be based on SAT scores or grades, but on achievements in the organization, dedication, etc. It just seems wrong to base the scholarships in your main EC on SAT scores. There were a couple of larger scholarships and those went to two girls who have been minimally involved in choir but who have fantastic grades. I'd have preferred to see the super devoted, middle of the class kids get the scholarships.

boy do I agree with that Missypie. Congrats on your S receiving some recognition there. I think #theoryson will receive some recognition but there is no money to be handed out unless you applied for private scholarships

[TheAnalyst]

I guess the good news about having two boys who were pretty middle of the road in everything is that we have never expected any awards so at least avoided the disappointment thing. Academically, the oldest was in the top 10% but barely; the second was only in the top 25%. Athletically, both were starters and strong players in their sport(s), but never the tip top stars. While popular with peers, they definitely would not be favorites with teachers or coaches (not disliked or disruptive but would never willingly talk to a teacher or coach so not well known).

[missypie]

I guess the good news about having two boys who were pretty middle of the road in everything is that we have never expected any awards so at least avoided the disappointment thing.

I think that the majority of students don't expect awards and don't even think about them. There might be 10 sections of Algebra I but only one student gets the Algebra I award...it's such a long shot that most students don't even entertain the idea. BUT, then they get to that section of the college application where they are supposed to list their awards.....

[#theorymom]

D and her best friend are to co-vals of their high school class and plan to give a speech together. I think I am dreading it more than they are! They have been planning this co-val thing since they were in 9th grade and both got all A's on their report cards. It's been the fulfillment of a long term goal for them.

That is just great! To be able to fulfill a long term goal like that and at such a young age. Kudos to those girls and to you LMNOP

[Rachacha]

D's good friends were announced as val and sal last night - she couldn't make it because of a meet, but she is so happy for them. The girl who is val is (with my D) the shortest in the class, plus her voice is so soft they will have to turn the microphone up to 11 (ala Spinal Tap) for us to hear her at graduation. I am sure the speech will be great!

Heard today that my company is discontinuing its scholarship program this year - that was $2500 that I thought D had a good shot at - sign of the bad economic times I guess!

[#theorymom]

Talking about school injustices. S has played varsity tennis all spring - not the star player but he did get a *by* for districts.
Well the day he was taking AP Bio, they had a tennis meeting at lunch, apparently mandatory, and of course S was not there. So coach took him off the schedule and he doesn't get to go to districts or compete. S of course told him he was away taking a TEST, but coach said sorry, too bad, he could not change it.
This is the kind of crap that makes you glad to say good-bye to the whole system. Incredibly disappointing, but we have come to see it as par for the course. It probably made room for a lesser player who was more favored by the coach. The good ol' boy system is alive and well in so many ways.
The silver lining in this (as I am looking for a lot of these days and getting good at finding them) is it gave him some much needed extra time to get some papers done. History paper turned in yesterday (4 not 5 paragraphs)- and hopefully his Power Point today. Yea!

[oregon101]

#theorymom--That is GREAT news about the History paper--what is next in line?