Insight - 'Tis the season for awards - By Michelle Libby

It might not come with a red carpet, but awards season is here. Parents are spending night after night at Windham High School honoring those students who go above and beyond and have reached high levels in their education or sporting careers. 

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I was blessed to attend some of these this past week. Seniors are getting cords for their achievements and National Honor Society seniors received blue stoles to wear on graduation day. Underclassmen were inducted into NHS the same night, knowing that someday they will have the same honor.

Tuesday night was the underclassmen awards presentation, where students get awards for “grit and determination” as well as most improved, excellence in a subject and more. It was great to see the students rush the stage to get their certificates and Eagle Pride pins. Although not all of the students at WHS were recognized, there were many given props for doing the best they could in their classes. 

At the underclassmen awards, approximately 25 juniors were given book awards from different 

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colleges. The book awards in some cases were books wrapped up in paper, and others were certificates with promised scholarships should the student attend that college. USM presented two book awards and said that Windham High School sent the most students to USM last year. I love the ideas of a book award, but tell us what the book is. Don’t leave us in suspense. USM again stood out by telling us that it was a photography book written by one of their professors. There. That helped me. So are all the books written my professors at the college or university presenting the award, or are the books more literary and stuffy the more prestigious the college is? 

Soon there will be sports awards and a long ceremony where parents of athletes can “cord” their child in front of the fall sports athletes and their parents. It’s amazing to watch the athletes get three cords for participating in varsity sports all four years of high school. Parents log volunteer hours working for the booster club for the honor of cording their athlete. 

When it comes to awards, why don’t the parents get them? How do you think these kids get to school on time (mostly)? Who reminds them to study for their test? And who studies with them? 

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Parents. 

Maybe we should create parent superlatives and post them on Facebook. Mom most likely to show up to school in her pajamas. Dad most likely to get sunburned at a sporting event. Mom most likely…well you get the idea. 

I’m so proud of all of the students I’ve watched grow up to become successful, talented and smart high schoolers. Some of those students have even worked at The Windham Eagle. Kudos to you and thank you for all you do.