Accomplishments, Achievements and Much More

“Anna pressed her nose against the window.  Snow, snow—where are you?  She wondered, gazing at the peaceful yard stretching in front of her house.  It was Christmas Eve, and so far there was no sign of snow whatsoever.  Anna had always loved snow—the soft, silky white blanket slithering through her fingers, cushioning her falls, the foundation of her snowmen with lopsided smiles and angels with broken wings.  There had always been more than enough snow during Christmas, but this year was her first Christmas in Florida, and so far there had been no sign of her fluffy white friend.”

An insightful, light-hearted description introducing a main character and her artfully-phrased inner-thoughts.  

Is it an excerpt from the latest early reader chapter book?  A newly-released short story now available at Barnes & Noble?

Try the opening paragraph of “A White Christmas” written by a fifth grader who won the first place prize (Elementary School Prose category) in the Maryland Young Writers’ Contest.  

The entire story along with the stories of all the other category winners can he found in the May issue of Baltimore’s Child.

As a writer, I’m amazed at its delicacy and poetic phrasing, especially by someone of her age.  A well deserved accolade for this young lady.

As the school year comes to a close parents, community members and teachers reflect on the amazing achievements the kids of their community have attained.
And in our community, there is certainly no shortage of the extraordinary.  

Some achievements have been acknowledged with awards and accolades, like our young writer, or like the three Centennial High freshmen who this year received the Girl Scout Silver Award (one of its highest honors) for their work on project “”

This original project includes a website and a game that teaches kids the how to recycle.  And perhaps the coolest thing is that it’s being put into practical use.  The Howard County recycling coordinator is actually incorporating it into some summer camp programs and school presentations.

Another community helper this past year was a third-grader at Resurrection St. Paul School.  She initiated a fundraiser at her school, asking all students to donate money to help local fire stations buy oxygen masks for animals that have suffered from smoke inhalation in house fires.  She presented a check to Ellicott City Fire Departments #2 and 8 at her end-of-the-year awards ceremony in front of the entire student body.  It was enough to buy 10 sets of animal oxygen masks.

Wow.

Other achievements this past year may not have received awards or acclaim, but they prove to be just as important, just as fantastic:

Countless kids this year met lifelong friends, people they will always be able to rely on, and will share old stories with decades from now.

Other kids practiced and practiced in their back yards or on school fields and finally made that varsity team.

Others were accepted into great colleges and universities.

Scores of elementary schoolers have not only begun reading well during the course of the year, but are also spelling with impressive accuracy.

The growth and achievement in my own house has also been nothing short of amazing.  My three-year-old has made huge progress this year in his speech therapy sessions, and can now actually converse with his siblings.  His big sister, my four-year-old preschooler, has finally mastered the alphabet this year and has learned how to write her name beautifully.

In addition, my first-grader learned about the dwindling rain forests in science class this week and now wants to start a “Save the Rainforest” club at his school. He’s so eager, he wants to start fundraising events this summer (i.e., lemonade stands) so that the club will have a jumpstart on donating to organizations that directly help save the rainforest regions.

I’ve been so proud of them lately-- not just with what they have accomplished, but with their sheer effort this year, I gave them small “end-of-the-year gifts” as fun rewards.

So be sure to recognize and encourage your kids as the school year ends—it’s been a long one (doesn’t September seem like a few years ago?)
And if you need to find me this summer, I’ll be sitting at a lemonade stand with a “Save the Rainforest” sign overhead, watching my kids and their pals help each other in their efforts to start saving the planet and better the future.