Waverly Nails Academic Trifecta!
My fifth-grade daughter, Waverly, 10, attends Abercrombie Academy here on the north side of greater Houston (and has since the middle of her pre-school year). Each year the school compete in academic competition sponsored by the Private Schools Interscholastic Association (PSIA).
Her school has finished 1st and 4th (among 88 schools), respectively, the last two years at the state level. Abercrombie competes at "A" level, which is defined as those schools that have an average enrollment of 24 or fewer (per grade) students. Homeschools can choose to compete with "AA" or "A" schools. There are 12 "A" districts around the state.
Waverly is one of 17 students in her class and one of 11 that competed on Saturday. She competed in three (3) events: Art Memory, Maps, Graphs and Charts and Prose/Poetry Interpretation. The first two contests are objective while the latter one is a subjective test.
Last year, Waverly finished second in the same district competition, which would have sent her to state; however, there were only three (3) students that competed and if Waverly's school (or any school) would have entered one or two more students, she would have made state competition. (She was very disappointed!)
On Thursday, one of Waverly's classmates tried to get in her head a bit when the classmate was provided a list to take home to her mother telling the parent which event that she was judging (and who the participants were). (In subjective contests, parents are asked to remove themselves from events where they know a student.) The classmate made the comment to Waverly that her mother would let a mutual classmate go easy since the parent knew that other student the longest! Imagine what was going through Dad's mind when Waverly told me that on the phone Thursday night in Vancouver!
I soon found out though in a bit of conversation with my wife that evening and with a bit more discussion the next morning (when Gena had a question or two regarding the contest that she was to be judging on Saturday morning) that the contest was an objective one in which there were always two (2) judges. Crisis averted! It just ended up being another kid talking smack.
I had long ago committed to Sarah Graybeal (actually both Waverly and I had) to help her out with the Yuri's Night 5K, but we learned that the date conflicted with the academic competition. Since Gena went and helped out at PSIA, it freed me up to be able to keep my word to Sarah.
The first hint of success came on the voice mail when I left Challenger Seven Memorial Park! It was Waverly and she basically said, in a very rushed and excited manner, "Daddy, I was second in Art Smart. I'm going to state!" I've got to admit that I was in tears driving up Interstate 45. She had worked so hard during the weeks studying and practicing, but the best news wasn't even yet to come.
She followed that up with a second place finish in Prose/Poetry Interpretation and a first place finish in Maps, Graphs and Charts! Each event had six or more students in it. (Actually, I think she said one had seven and another had nine.) The other schools were Yorkshire Academy (on Memorial Drive), The Woodlands Preparatory Academy (where masters runner - and Ironman - Nora Wilson teaches Spanish) and St. Thomas Apostle School.
Five (5) of her classmates will be joining her at state. Three of them will be going in two subjects, but Waverly is the only one that will be representing her school in three events!
State competition is on Saturday, May 6th at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. But since Dad had to make a trade-off to be able to be home on Thursday, May 18th for her graduation ceremony (which is in the middle of a two-week rotation in Vancouver and we had), I'll be up in Vancouver that weekend.
However, we went out and celebrated last night at Pappasitos - and had some good Mexican food! (Which is counter to one of the 12 points in Governor Mike Huckabee's book that we heard that evening when he was on with minister Dr. Robert Schuller.)
As a sidenote, the student that Waverly's classmate referred to actually finished first in front of Waverly. Since it is an objective test, she did a better job and outscored Waverly! The student that did the boasting? She isn't making the trip north next month; however, Waverly had said even before the conversation on Thursday that the youngster had boasted that she didn't need to do a practice test the week before in the Maps, Graphs & Charts category. Ultimately, Waverly's teacher made them all take it!
Congratulations Waverly!
Her school has finished 1st and 4th (among 88 schools), respectively, the last two years at the state level. Abercrombie competes at "A" level, which is defined as those schools that have an average enrollment of 24 or fewer (per grade) students. Homeschools can choose to compete with "AA" or "A" schools. There are 12 "A" districts around the state.
Waverly is one of 17 students in her class and one of 11 that competed on Saturday. She competed in three (3) events: Art Memory, Maps, Graphs and Charts and Prose/Poetry Interpretation. The first two contests are objective while the latter one is a subjective test.
Last year, Waverly finished second in the same district competition, which would have sent her to state; however, there were only three (3) students that competed and if Waverly's school (or any school) would have entered one or two more students, she would have made state competition. (She was very disappointed!)
On Thursday, one of Waverly's classmates tried to get in her head a bit when the classmate was provided a list to take home to her mother telling the parent which event that she was judging (and who the participants were). (In subjective contests, parents are asked to remove themselves from events where they know a student.) The classmate made the comment to Waverly that her mother would let a mutual classmate go easy since the parent knew that other student the longest! Imagine what was going through Dad's mind when Waverly told me that on the phone Thursday night in Vancouver!
I soon found out though in a bit of conversation with my wife that evening and with a bit more discussion the next morning (when Gena had a question or two regarding the contest that she was to be judging on Saturday morning) that the contest was an objective one in which there were always two (2) judges. Crisis averted! It just ended up being another kid talking smack.
I had long ago committed to Sarah Graybeal (actually both Waverly and I had) to help her out with the Yuri's Night 5K, but we learned that the date conflicted with the academic competition. Since Gena went and helped out at PSIA, it freed me up to be able to keep my word to Sarah.
The first hint of success came on the voice mail when I left Challenger Seven Memorial Park! It was Waverly and she basically said, in a very rushed and excited manner, "Daddy, I was second in Art Smart. I'm going to state!" I've got to admit that I was in tears driving up Interstate 45. She had worked so hard during the weeks studying and practicing, but the best news wasn't even yet to come.
She followed that up with a second place finish in Prose/Poetry Interpretation and a first place finish in Maps, Graphs and Charts! Each event had six or more students in it. (Actually, I think she said one had seven and another had nine.) The other schools were Yorkshire Academy (on Memorial Drive), The Woodlands Preparatory Academy (where masters runner - and Ironman - Nora Wilson teaches Spanish) and St. Thomas Apostle School.
Five (5) of her classmates will be joining her at state. Three of them will be going in two subjects, but Waverly is the only one that will be representing her school in three events!
State competition is on Saturday, May 6th at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. But since Dad had to make a trade-off to be able to be home on Thursday, May 18th for her graduation ceremony (which is in the middle of a two-week rotation in Vancouver and we had), I'll be up in Vancouver that weekend.
However, we went out and celebrated last night at Pappasitos - and had some good Mexican food! (Which is counter to one of the 12 points in Governor Mike Huckabee's book that we heard that evening when he was on with minister Dr. Robert Schuller.)
As a sidenote, the student that Waverly's classmate referred to actually finished first in front of Waverly. Since it is an objective test, she did a better job and outscored Waverly! The student that did the boasting? She isn't making the trip north next month; however, Waverly had said even before the conversation on Thursday that the youngster had boasted that she didn't need to do a practice test the week before in the Maps, Graphs & Charts category. Ultimately, Waverly's teacher made them all take it!
Congratulations Waverly!
posted by WalkSports.com | 6:38 AM
2 Comments:
Awesome, Waverly. She was already a champion in my book. Congratulations on advancing in all three events. Too cool!!!
Go Waverly!!!!!!!!! Keep up the hard work! :)
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