Wow! Life has gotten away from me. My fourth child is finishing up his Senior year. I blinked and we're there already!!
I mentioned the highlights from Garrett's senior year. I almost need to summarize Cali, Cecilia, and Jarom's whole high school career! So here goes!
Cali found herself immersed in marching band. She played the clarinet one year, stepped into the drum major position for a couple of years while dancing during their performances as part of her experience, and finished up as a clarinet player with the added responsibilities of section leader and field commander as well. She tried out for the dance team every year and made it each year. However, neither the band or the dance teachers were able to reconcile their requirements enough for Cali to excell in both at the same time until her Senior year. Cali finally participated in dance company her senior year and was considered "dormant" during the first semester while she finished up her marching band career. Then, she jumped wholeheartedly into dance company and finished strong with a trip to New York to dance in the St. Patrick's parade with her dance company comrades. As if marching band and dance company weren't enough, she served on Hope Squad's leadership council and helped many people adjust to high school and feel more accepted there. Cali kept her grades high and finished her senior year successfully! To add the cherry to the top, she spoke at her seminary graduation and did a magnificent job!!!
Cecilia spent her high school years in challenging classes and in colorguard. Cecilia started her AP classes as a Sophmore and took as many as she could throughout those next three years. She passed with flying colors and received many accolades and personal recommendations from teachers who were impressed with her intelligence and ability to excell in their class. Colorguard, though, was her life during high school. She was made a captain for the colorguard her Junior year and she led out not only as a performer but as a mentor for all the other colorguard members. I remember going to watch one of her practices. And, as much as it awed me to watch her toss her sabers or riffles or flags high in the air without fear and catch them with finesse all the while dancing difficult techniques (she was truly beautiful to watch), I can't forget noticing the younger girls watch her from the sidelines and whisper about how awesome Cecilia was. The admiration on their faces were obvious. I will never forget that moment and how proud I was of who Cecilia was and that I was related to her.
Jarom is our resident senior this year. And, he continues to surprise me. He has struggled with keeping his grades up all four years. He's rather smart and understands all the difficult concepts he's studying. He simply can't seem to get all his homework in on time -- or even late! Before he came along, I had a firm A or B policy. Now, I'm grateful if he has a solid D-. And, to top it off, he wants to be social. He spent three pretty rocky years in marching band in the drumline. He never seemed to have his music memorized or his homework finished. I expected him to continue on into his senior year, but despite the fact that the marching band would be marching in the Rose Parade, Jarom turned away from marching band. Personally, I was relieved he wouldn't be doing marching band and I was very ready for a break from that demanding and expensive extracurricular activity. However, I was a bit aprehensive. What would Jarom decide to be a part of this year?! He stepped up to Thor's Squad -- the new and improved Hope Squad Cali had been involved in. And then, he decided to compete in the male beauty pageant that his high school puts on called Son of Thor. I was worried. Every mother wants their child to succeed and it seemed like Jarom had done his share of failing. I was worried that this would be added to his list. He attended all his practices and prepared his talent and gathered all his costumes. All of our family showed up -- that could. We wanted to show him we were supporting him. He surprised everyone in that gym that night! His physical challenge was competing in a single double elimination tournament with big hamster wheel-type balls. He had to climb inside and push it while racing someone else doing the same thing, and he had to cross his pod halfway through the racing track and beat his competitor to the end. He started the whole competition and handily beat his competitor. Everytime he was up to race, he made it to the middle before the person he was racing and thus to the end. Thus, he won the whole single double elimination tournament! His talent was rapping one of the Hamilton songs with a teacher and he wowed the whole audience with how fast he did it, and how well he did it. His question he answered didn't wow, but neither did it tank like some others. And, his performance in the pageant dance was spot on! He ended up winning 1st attendant!!!! So proud of him and so happy he had that experience to show himself that he can come out on top!!! He has made a name for himself in the art department this year as well. His teacher told him that he was good enough to be in AP art, but he just takes so long to get his artwork completed that it wouldn't be a good fit for him, but his art is at the college level. He just won a runner up in the latest art show for one of his watercolors he did. He continues to rise above expectations. It will be fun to see where he goes from here! He is strong and will do great things!
So. My first four (within a month) will be high school graduates! Only seven to go! James is in the chute, but he will be a junior this next year. He has a whole year to go before he begins his senior year. Right now, he's scrambling to get his drivers license before his permit expires. :) That's our current hurdle! It's always something at our house!
No comments:
Post a Comment