Joshua's Award Ceremony

We got a flyer two weeks before school got out for the summer. It announced that Joshua's school would put on an "Academe Awards" for each grade level, 2 grades per day, on the last week of school. Each grade was given an hour, with 10 minutes between the two grades each day. Then at the bottom of the flyer it said something about taking your child to lunch to celebrate with them.
Given this information- and knowing that Joshua had not missed a day of school, and was an excellent student- we assumed that this was a BIG deal. So we invited extended family out for the event, poor Gale had to drive from Weatherford!

And I have never been so mad at a school function before!
The school had family squished into the back half of the cafitorium, then had the four classes in 2nd grade come in and sit facing the stage (backs to us) and gave every single child 2 awards!!
This made me mad!

I know that we should make everyone feel good for their efforts, and I can see how it might be frustrating to someone to never get recognized for the things that they were good at. But then at the same time, why work hard if you get just as much recognition as someone who doesn't??
Not that I believe Joshua walks on water...I mean, he did get a B, and there are straight A students. But do you know how hard it is to get him there on time, everyday, for a whole school year! And yet, because of the "good citizenship" "great citizenship" and "excellent citizenship" ratings, no one would know the difference.

This brings one thing to mind....
To quote "The Incredible's"-
"...you want to celebrate mediocrity, when he could be great!!"

So we have two pictures of Joshua this day, one of him walking onto the stage, and the other of him shaking his teachers hand- he wasn't even given a certificate to hold.
Then they had all the 2nd graders stand up and face the parents and said "welcome to 3rd grade." (Joshua's class was the first one in, and therefore the class closest to the stage, so when they all stood and turned around he was in the back and had to jump so we could see him)

The kids filled out the doors, back to class.
All of this happened so fast, that it was all over in 15 minutes!! And his grandmother from Weatherford missed out, due to some bad traffic.
What a disappointment.....

So I went to Joshua's classroom to ask about having lunch with Joshua, since it was only 9:15. His teacher said that they didn't have much planned...so take Josh for "a day off".
And so we did! It was fun!!

On our way out, and since no one was in the cafitorium, we stopped back by for some pictures.
And where did Joshua want to go for his celebration lunch?? McDonald's!! HA HA