School Nears its End!

School is at its End!!

This is the last week of school for my darling daughters. Both have said a few times that it has gone by so fast! A quick recap of their schedules would show just how it went so quickly!

Piano for both of them,

Girl Scouts for both of them,

Soccer for both of them,

After school art program for both of them,

T-ball for Emily (they came in 3^rd in the tournament)

GATE for Sarah (the state Gifted Student program)

Animal Training, Dance and Cello for Sarah

Plus field trips, reports, special projects…one special project in particular for Sarah took up a lot of her time (story following this part of my entry).

The both got awards for outstanding performance in class.

We’ve had an eventful week and it’s only Tuesday! Read on…

Yesterday was a hugely great day for my Sarah!

Not only did she get into a great Animal Shelter day camp that she really very much wants to attend, but she got a lot of other great news, too!

She has been working very diligently on her Bronze Award for Girl Scouts since last September. This involved 15 hours of service, with 7 hrs of planning and 8 of community service, plus keeping records, and various other tasks. While working on this project, within these tasks, she earned about six Girl Scout badges.

Yesterday, her troop leader awarded her the Bronze Award. Even though the whole troop of 13 girls started their projects for the award at the same time, Sarah was the only one in her troop to have achieved it by the end of the school year. I am so very proud of her!

When we came home from the awards ceremony, she showed me a letter from her GATE teacher. It thrilled me to read it. It seems that yesterday she taught 4 younger students how to draw a toucan, based on an after school art class she's been taking all year. Her teacher, Mrs. Ahn, wrote that Sarah taught the boys very well. She "came to class well-prepared" and was "patient, methodical and slow" and so that the students were able to truly grasp the material, and that she was great at giving praise and encouraging them to continue. The teacher also stated that Sarah should "consider a career in education" because she had a natural ability to teach. I nearly cried while reading this--doesn't your heart swell bigger than your chest when someone gives your child such a great compliment unsolicited?

The reward we gave her, and presented to her after the ceremony, for her Bronze accomplishment, was a ticket to Wicked on July 5th. She's taking 2 girlfriends (and of course her sister and parents), plus I think one other mom is going, too. It's going to be so much fun! When she opened the envelope, she screamed so loud my ears are still ringing.

Then, today, Emily got an award for her reading skills! The school held an awards ceremony this afternoon. The principal called Emily’s name, saying that she reads with great expression and with enthusiasm. Em was just adorable as she walked up to get her certificate (along with a c0upon for free food from Rubio’s). Goodness I love that kid!

This afternoon when Sarah got home from school, she let me know that she already wants to start planning for her Silver Award in the Girl Scouts. That girl has ambition! Sometimes I am so proud of her and love her so much that I think my heart may just burst out of my chest!

Ok, Ok, brag off now....I am hopeful that the summer brings more time to blog, play and create!