We Bid May Goodbye and Graduated Some Elementary Schoolers with Honors

After Helen and I returned from California in April, we rested up a little bit because we knew May was going to be busier than the lifestyle we enjoy in our RV. The lure of hooking up again and hitting the road passed through our retired brains more than once.

Spring had arrived in Knoxville, and that meant a lot of yard work that had gone neglected. Fortunately, Helen enjoys working around her plants and flowers and does more than her fair share of the labor. She hired a landscaper to remove some unruly bushes around our deck steps and replace them with something more manageable.

I had developed a considerable amount of “unwanted baggage” around my mid-section on our trip, so I jumped back into my exercise class with all the gusto of the young-at-heart 77-year-old that I am. During the warmer months, our classes are held in an outdoor pavilion situated in a local community park. When the early morning breeze wafts through the pavilion, I pay scant notice to the agony of deep knee bends or hamstring curls. I enjoy the class immensely.

In late May, we hooked up the RV once more, put Mortimer in the back seat of the truck, and took off for Charleston. Our granddaughter, Bennett, was completing her eighth-grade year at Mason Preparatory School, and we wanted to be there for the Awards Ceremony and graduation.

Of course, we can’t pass our favorite campground when driving southeast, so we stopped in at Happy Holiday in Cherokee, NC, to sit by the creek and try our luck in the Casino. I did pretty well on the trip…until Helen canceled me out.

We camped at James Island County Park in Charleston while there and were fortunate to obtain a reservation. James Island is an extremely well-run facility, and its summer campsites fill up quickly. We tucked Dora in the woods and enjoyed complete privacy.

On the Thursday before graduation, Mason Prep has an award ceremony to recognize both academic and athletic achievements. We knew that Bennett was in the running for several awards during the Ceremony on Thursday, as well as during the graduation service on Friday. The recognition Bennett received blew Helen and me away. I’ll list the accomplishments below, and if it appears that I am bragging, it’s because I am.

On Thursday, Bennett received recognition for being on the Headmaster’s list for the entire year for having grades of 93 and above in each subject. She also received the Student-Athlete Award for girls, as chosen by the athletic directors and Head of School. Bennett excelled in both basketball and volleyball. Her primary sport is soccer, but since Mason Prep does not field a soccer team, Bennett was allowed to play as an eighth-grader for the local high school JV team. Although her teammates were high schoolers, she took the Trojan Award for player excellence.

More recognition followed on Friday during the Graduation Ceremony. Bennett graduated as First Honor Graduate (combined highest 7th and 8th grade yearly averages). She received the award as the top student in French and, most impressively, was voted the Alberta Sotille Long Citizenship Award by the eighth-grade class in secret ballots.

She closed the Ceremony with an address to her classmates and the audience. By then, my shirt buttons were under considerable strain. I introduced myself to all I met as “Bennett’s grandfather.” It was a helluva weekend, and Helen and I are so fortunate that we could attend.

When we returned to Knoxville, we learned that Carter, our California eighth-grader, had also been honored at the end of his school year. Allow me to brag once again.

Carter received the Young Historian Award for outstanding achievement in the subject of history. He also received the President’s Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence and was presented with a certificate signed by President Trump. When I heard the news, I was sure he could hear me shout from Tennessee.

We’re Easin’ Along into June for now but look back with much pride and joy at a very busy May. How was yours?

Author’s note: We have no travel plans for the summer, which means material for blogging and opportunities for photography might be limited. If you don’t see us for a few weeks, please know that we shall return. To my bloggy friends, please keep up the great work–I’ll always be in the audience. Joe