Senior Awards Night

This was the stage set up before Anthony's Senior Awards Night last Thursday, May 16th. This was the first of three awards ceremonies for him, and the only one that included students from all of his high school, not just the students from his particular magnet school. The ceremony was held at the Littleton Gym of the big Blossom Athletic Center complex, and started at 7pm. We were there at 6pm, however, because Anthony was told to be there early. We were there a total of three hours! Thank goodness we didn't bring the other kids!

I love how when Anthony sees me with a camera, he knows that I want to take a picture and he doesn't hide from me--unlike two of his siblings. Anthony was recognized with the following awards: National Merit Semi-Finalist (although he is actually a finalist), Summa Cum Laude, Distinguished Achievement Scholar, All-Districk Athletic Achievement Scholar for Soccer, and the Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies Departmental Awards. He was the only one to get recognized with three departmental awards. The others only got one or two. They announced them all at once, with each person standing as their name was called. Since his name was called three times, he bent his legs a little and then stood up straight again after his name was called the second and third time. He can be such a goofball.

The Distinguished Achievement Scholar award was for the curriculum that he had in high school, which included four years each of Math, Science, English, and Social Studies, as well as a Foreign Language. He actually exceeded even those requirements. The All-Districk Athletic Achievement Scholar award was for getting all A's while participating in a sport for four years. While he participated in Cross Country and Track, he did not participate in those sports for four years. He was picked for the Departmental Awards by his teachers.

The reason why the ceremony lasted so long was that everyone who received an award had to walk across the stage, receive a medal from the principal and shake his hand, pose for a picture, then walk off stage to get their packet of certificates. The gold cord designating Anthony as Summa Cum Laude that he will wear at graduation was also there. For his school, "Summa Cum Laude" means he has above a 100 average.

Anthony's second awards ceremony was yesterday morning (Tuesday, May 21). Anthony's school promotes four "core values", which are Perseverence, Integrity, Commitment, and Kindness. He received the award for "Perseverance" from his Senior Project teacher, Mrs. Vines. He can only get one award per year and he received the other three awards in his first three years of high school. He also got to stand up and be recognized at the end with a handful of other kids who had also received all four awards. We have one more awards ceremony tomorrow. I'm working late, so hope I can make it.