Honors Night

Last night was Honors Night at Alma High School.  It's an event that provides parents, faculty, and members of the community the opportunity to recognize students (especially graduating students) for their outstanding achievements.  Our daughter, Sarah, was one of the students recognized and honored. 

I am so very proud of Sarah and what she has accomplished during her high school career.  She has earned a 3.981 GPA (suffering only 2 A-minuses) even while taking as many AP courses as she could, has been involved in many extra-curricular activities, lettering in three different Varsity sports, leading a section of the elite Chamber Choir for three years, and serving as a choir teaching assistant during her senior year, among many other activities which could be listed.  Sarah has certainly excelled and well deserves being honored.

Sarah received the Senior Academic Achievement Award, which is given to all who have earned a 3.6 GPA or above, and the President's Award for Educational Excellence, which is accompanied by a letter from President Obama and is given to all high school graduates who have earned a 3.5 GPA or above and at least an 85% in a nationally recognized test in reading and math.  She didn't get chosen to receive any of the other scholarships and awards given out last night, which is a little disappointing, but not surprising.  Some of those certainly went to students more deserving than Sarah, others to students who excelled in very specific areas, and others to students whose achievements, while certainly honorable, fall well below Sarah's, but who are fortunate enough to have the right family ties, if you know what I mean.  I suppose a certain amount of nepotism is always to be expected, especially in small communities such as ours, but that doesn't make it right, and it is always a difficult lesson for young people to learn.  Oh well.  Such is life in this sinful world.

Anyway, again, I am so very proud of Sarah.  Her plans are to attend Michigan State University (the best school in the land - just sayin') and work toward a degree in secondary education.  Her dream is to teach high school and coach girls' basketball and she would be excellent at both.  Now, if we can just figure out how to pay for all this!  If there are any millionaires out there who want to adopt Sarah for the next four years, please let me know. :)