Saturday, February 6, 2016

Quizzical

A couple of days ago, Alyssa mentioned off-handedly that one of her teachers asked her to join her school’s quiz bowl team.

I told her that was awesome and sounded like a lot of fun and asked her she wanted to do it.

She shrugged and mentioned that one other kid in her glass, a boy, was also asked to join.

She then said that the teacher mentioned they might have to stay after school to practice and asked if that would be a problem.

I told her that if she wanted to do this, we would make it not be a problem for her. She could stay after school and someone (Tom) would pick her up when Quiz Bowl practice was over.

The next day, I told Tom about the quiz bowl and explained that there would be afternoons where he’d need to pick her up. Then I told him pointedly, “This is an honor for her. We are supporting her in this because it’s awesome that her hard work at school is being noticed by her teachers.”

He shrugged and said, “Okay, I’ll just need a reminder each day she’ll need to be picked up.”

I love that she’s been asked to do this. I love that she wants to do this. I love that her good grades and hard-working spirit have been noticed. I want her to do things that are fun and interesting and different.

One of her friends, a girl who was sent to kindergarten at four years old because she’s so darned smart is jealous that she wasn’t picked for the quiz bowl. This girl is a just-turned-twelve year old seventh grader who is taking several eighth grade level classes. She’s getting Bs in those classes. She’s obviously very smart. But I can’t help but think that if she were in seventh grade level classes, she’d be getting better grades.

She might also have been asked to join the quiz bowl. Then again, maybe not.

I told Alyssa not to take Bea’s issues to heart. If Bea has a problem with not getting invited to join the quiz bowl, that is not Alyssa’s issue, it’s Bea’s problem. She can ask the teacher why she wasn’t asked if she wants to do so, but Alyssa doesn’t have to carry the burden of her friend’s concerns.

Alyssa shrugged at me and said, “I don’t care if she’s bothered or not.”

Alyssa knows she earns the grades she gets. That girl has a confidence I envy. I wish I could bottle it and spread it around because she amazes me. She’s smart, she’s beautiful, she’s sweet, she’s kind, she works so hard and is rewarded for it.

I’m so lucky to get to watch her take this journey called life.

1 comment:

Julie said...

Yay!! Congrats to Alyssa! I can't wait to hear more about this.