When I went to high school, I went every single day. I mean every single day. I didn’t miss a day. Every year Gr. 9 - 11, I was present, at the end of each year’s awards ceremony, I was presented with a little perfect attendance certificate. I can’t explain it, but this meant a lot to me. I think I just loved getting an award with “perfect” on it.
In my final year of high school I directed a touring sex-Ed play that went around to many high schools in my city with myself and about 12 other classmates going out on these trips to perform the show. I made sure before hand that we would not be considered absent, as the whole program was technically a school program, and we would miss a lot of school to do these presentations. I was assured by the principal and VP that we would not be counted absent as these presentations were educational in nature. Indeed as the monthly attendance reports came in, I saw that I was not being marked absent while on tour, and none of my other classmates were being marked absent either. Finally, I received my second term report card, and on it, it was noted that I had been absent once from Math. I looked back on the date noted, and indeed, I and several of my classmates were doing our sex-Ed show that day. So I went to the office to have this corrected, and the secretary just roooooolled her eyes. She couldn’t have been more annoyed by good-y good-y me. She said she’d have it looked in to. The next attendance report was sent home, and again the absence was there. The secretary didn’t give a fuck and clearly hadn’t done anything about my concern. So I went back to the office and this time the vice principal, who was also my English teacher and the one who set up the whole sex-Ed program, was there, and she assured me that she would have it corrected. And since I pointed out to her that I had not missed a class in the previous three school years, she indeed said “Oh, well if you make it all the way through without missing class, you’ll definitely get a plaque! I’ll order it myself.” Now shortly after she said that, I fell ill – no “cough, cough” ill but auto-immune failure ill – I was going through all sorts of scary tests, the C word was mentioned, I was scared, but no one could figure out what was wrong with me. For whatever reason, I decided that I would not miss school. I hated being at home with my mentally ill mother, so it was just better to go to class even if I was barely able to stand. It was my last year, and I wanted to be there. Also, I wanted the damn plaque. I wasn’t going on to university, so I couldn’t possibly be up for any other awards. I hadn’t skipped a single class, even though I was sick as a dog and still undiagnosed by the time finals rolled around, I went to every fuck*ng class.
So cut to the grad awards ceremony. Lots of my classmates are getting scholarships and stuff and I’m waiting. I was a top student in my school, but with my health problems and my family issues, I decided to take a year off between university and high school to keep from burning out. I would have had awards piled on me, but instead I knew I was only up for one. Then the same vice principal goes up to the podium, and she says “This next award is really phenomenal. Through four years of class at this school, this award winner did not miss a single class!” And I’m sitting there, and I can see that the plaque is fuck*ng HUGE, and I’m ready!!! Some of my classmates are leaning in and giving me the thumbs up… Then she says “I am please to present the award for perfect attendance to….Grant Heather!” And I’m all sitting there, and I’m all “WTF?” and I actually feel like I might cry a little, but I just fight it off and I sit there. Then I get called up for this other special award from the Stone Masons for being artistic. It was very confusing. So after the ceremony the Vice Principal comes up to me, and without me even asking she’s all “ I asked Mr. Lindal (my Math teacher) and he confirmed that you did miss the class.” And I’m all “Yes, I wasn’t in class, because I was running the program that you set up. I was teaching sex-Ed at another school.” And she’s all “but you missed the class, so you were absent.” And I respond “No I was on a field trip, just like the other 11 times I was away. Just like the other 12 students who went with me, who were not marked absent” And then she just looked at me awkwardly. I wanted to punch her, and really, I wish now that I had.
I’m still bitter. I still want my goddamn plaque. But now, the healing can begin.
Thank you those who nominated me, and thank you to jough for making the board, and to the mod squad for the award show and finally thanks to Onstad for making a strip about alive stuffed animals. It is truly an honour to be nominated. And to win, well, that's just overwhelming! Thank you all!
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Topic: Award Presentation Thread: TOUAMB MVP for 2005 (Read 10400 times)