End of School Celebrations

With the end of the school year come the inevitable parties and celebrations. Except apparently our school district has decided that award ceremonies are lame or offensive or obsolete, because all of my public school kids came home with certificates, and there was zero announcement or celebration. I'm actually a little upset because they all worked super hard! And all they get in recognition is a piece of cardstock handed out unceremoniously during homeroom. So. Lame. 

Elise worked hard to qualify as a Patriot for the 2nd year in a row!

She had to learn about our country and show her work to a volunteer evaluator.

Seth's high school finally figured out how to print certificates instead of just handing out 

Towson University stickers! We are all so proud. 

Look at all those straight As! 

We won't talk about the single B that slipped in last quarter.

Thankfully not enough to lower the overall grade, but he was still unhappy.

Not our celebration, but we did attend MANY graduation parties for kids in the ward. As we were leaving one such party, Catherine hopped in the driver's seat and pretended she was going to drive us all home. Jon jokingly went along with it and popped into the back seat by Elijah. 

But Elijah is no fool.

He was TERRIFIED and would not stop crying until Catherine got out.

No way was he going to let her drive him ANYWHERE:

Seth's AP US Government class had a day where they presented their legislation ideas to family members and community leaders. Seth researched emissions and made suggestions on how we could improve our air quality:

His friend Fionna drew the car.

Seth's style involves questionable cutting and pasting onto green paper.

And getting his friends to do work for him. 

But he did a great job with the actual presentation part!

Public speaking is not something he struggles with.

And then it was Elise's 1st grade Luau Party!

Carrying cotton balls in a spoon.

Because that's what you do at a luau. 

All dressed up after the relay race:

And Catherine, with her straight As and her Musicianship Award from her band teacher:

Good thing my kids thought to actually hand these to me instead of just putting them in the black holes they call 'backpacks'...sigh...