Awards Day: Homeschool Style

It's that time of year....

AWARDS

So here are a few awarded to my three students at The Harman Hood for the 2014/2015 school year...

This year, Kate has shown an uncanny ability to fall asleep in the midst of even the most noisy environments. And not only that, but many times she manages to do so in style. And so, I'd like to award Kate with the "Stylish Sleeper" Award.

Next, I'd like to recognize Hannah. While we could award her with the "I'd Rather Be Anywhere But Doing Schoolwork" award, we'll call it the "Ingenuity Award." Ingenuity because well, not only does she have obscure ideas like creating a pulley system on a tree (with which she planned to hoist Kate high into its branches on the plasma car) or making a double riding plasma car with only duct tape, but she manages to incorporate her big ideas to distract from the monotonous book work indoors. We may also award her with "The Most Influential" award because she manages to convince her brother and sister that her ideas are well worth pursuing and investing in, even it means plummeting from a vertical hanging plasma car or spinning out of control on a wild ride.

 I'd like to award Grant with the "Good Sport" award. Whether it was the time he stood at the bottom of our hill screaming after face planting on the asphalt from a bad scooter fall and I, not noticing the blood oozing from his face, casually told him it was okay. Or it was that time I waved at him from the bottom of the Butterfly Garden at Callaway Gardens and took his picture, only later to discover his head was actually stuck between the two rails and was NOT posing for a photo op. And yet, both times, he was patient with his clueless mom in the midst of a traumatic situation.

(stuck...and he even humored clueless mom with a smile)

Kate also is the recipient of the "Most Distracting" award. While Hannah, Grant,and I were hitting the books hard, she often lightened the mood with her wild ensembles and crazy quarks. This also invited  frustrated comments like, "Mom, make Kate leave," and "I can't think with Kate in here," thus making Kate the front runner for this award. Well done, Kate, well done.

This year we have a first. Thanks to a daring rescue of an injured dove, Crystal, I'd like to award Hannah with the first ever, "Humanitarian Award." Hannah exhibited compassion, concern, and executed a well thought plan to help Crystal survive. We were relieved to discover upon returning to Hannah's makeshift "flower pot" shelter, Crystal was no longer present. We like to think she's flying freely in the open breeze and those skeleton bones later found belong to some other unfortunate animal.

And in addition to the "Good Sport" award, Grant also received the "Best Comeback" award. After a year long stint away from his bike, he decided to get back on it and try again. It definitely helped that his younger sister recently learned how to pedal without training wheels. Now, Grant's leading the pack when it comes to burning rubber on the pavement. Way to go Bud!

And lastly, for a special award, we give Kate the "Meerkat Award" because, as Hannah said, "She really does look like a meerkat here." Bravo, Kate, for making the impossible seem possible. 

And that, folks, concludes our Harman Hood Awards Day. What a year we've had and what talent we are honing.