Go Girl

To our delight, Jessica won the Star Challenger Award at her 8th grade award ceremony! We were so proud, delighted, surprised, and ecstatic! So, what is the Star Challenger Award? It goes to the most outstanding student at the school!!!! Keeping us all in suspense, the 8th grade dean highlighted a few of the recipients achievements: honest, athlete, scholar but most important, leader. She then mentioned that if it weren't for this person, the kids would not have had their 8th grade trip! At this point, a few students shouted out the recipients name, Jessica! We were so proud!!! I wanted to jump from my seat, scream and shout then run up to the stage and squish her with hugs. Then, I remembered that we were in a middle school auditorium and if I did that, I would embarrass my daughter for the rest of her life! I restrained myself until all closing remarks were made!

Are you interested to hear how the 8th grade trip came about? Mid May, the 8th grade class learned that the traditional 8th grade trip to Orlando was not scheduled this year. The administration decided without consulting the students, to host only the dance and awards ceremony. Jessica came home from school a little disappointed and feeling jipped when she learned the news. I told her if she was really concerned, she should do something. After our brief discussion, she decided to begin a petition. I questioned her motive and asked, "What if you get in trouble?" Her reply, "I can't get in trouble, it is my constitution privilege to petition as long as it is peaceful." I asked every question I thought administration would throw at her and she had a valid response each time. So, the next day she went off to school armed with blank petitions. I was very eager all day for 4:30 when she would walk through the door. I even wondered if I would receive a phone call from administration today telling me that my daughter was suspended. To my delight, she walked home with 4 sheets filled with signatures!!!! The next day when she turned in the petitions, she had a total of 250 signatures. That does not include the 2 sheets that a peer lost. However, not only did she turn in the petitions, she also had a proposal complete with cost, date, alternate activities, and bus options. In one form, she offered a solution to every "problem" the administration threw at us for not having the trip. After a week and a half, the dean called Jess into her office to tell her first that field trip forms would go home the next day! They would be going to a dual ice and roller skating rink for a day! Hip, hip, hooray! (OK, she was a little disappointed that they would not be going to the water park she suggested.) The day of the trip, thunder, lightning and rain filled the sky most the day! Good thing they weren't going to that water park! Skate zone was a blast for the kids! They danced, raced, and generally chilled out!!! All because Jessica was able to show that there was a desire and a possible way for the event to occur!!! You go girl!! I can't wait to see you on Capitol Hill!