MAXI had her Recognition Day this morning. It was the prelude to her Prep Graduation Day for tomorrow, and an event to distribute academic and special awards including those in Kinder and Nursery.
One thing I like about the school is that it is very generous about giving away medals. They have an award for just about every pupil for being just about anything.
But before we go there, let me first cite that this year's awardee for the Perfect Attendance didn't make it. On the day his school was to commend him for being there all the time, he chose to be absent. Later the teacher said the poor pupil is downed by chicken pox.
Maxi is very smart and very pretty so I don't really feel bad if others received multiple medals for both academics and special abilities. This year, she didn't make it to the top 10 honors but she nevertheless went home with the Most Disciplined medal.
I was the designated parent on the stage, and when I accompanied Maxi up there with the school officials and bestowed the medal on her neck, I was as proud as the next parent whose kid ran away with the Best in Math, Best in Science, Best in Computer, Best on Language, Best in GMRC, Best on MAPE all at the same time, on top of the honor roll.
I wasn't an excellent student myself back then. I only barged into the Top 10 in Grade 3. My teachers just gave us ribbons for the feat. My first ribbon was in Grade 2 when my teacher deemed me as the ``Best Storyteller'' of the class.
In high school the only medal I got was in CAT class for Best in General Information. Later a buddy who was a high-ranking CAT officer revealed that they just happened to have a spare medal to give away and they thought of bestowing it to the cadet who knows trivia more than anybody else. See, even then it pays to have friends in the high places.
Back to this morning's rites, I noticed that Maxi's teachers appeared to have run out of things to name their awards. One boy received Most Generous award. What would a six-year-old boy do to earn that? He gives away his crayons and shares his lunch?
Another won Most Active. Yet another bagged Most Patient. Am a parent myself and I could very well testify that kids at that age are always active and are never patient. While at it, they might as well give away awards for the student who has best shown Dignity, or Integrity, or Courage.
But the morning ended on a sad note for me. Because I lost the Parent of the Year award for the third straight year.
It was given to a mother who the Principal said was there to pick up her kid everyday, sometimes even braving noontime sun ``without an umbrella.'' She, according to the Principal, was also very active in voicing out her opinions about the school and its policies. I had to disagree on both counts.
First I always bring umbrella when I pick up Maxi from school because I don't want her burned by the sun or soaked by rain. Later in the school year I even decided to avail of the school service, which should be more convenient for my daughter. That actions must earn big points in whatever criteria the school was using.
I also don't complain much about the school and its policies. Except now.
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