SOMWaD: To The Kids Who DIDN'T Make Honor Roll (And Their Parents)

The first marking period report cards came out last month and now (finally?) the list of honor rollees (rollers?) has been released.  There in the local paper(s) and social media outlets is the long list of kids who made honor roll (all As & Bs) and high honor roll (All As).  You see the names of (seemingly) all your friends there in black and white.  Your name isn't there.  Despite already knowing that you weren't on that list, when you see it, it may hurt.  You may feel sad.  You may feel hurt.  You may be angry.  You may get depressed.  Or maybe you feel a combination of all of the above (and then some).  It's okay.

I mean it.  It's okay.  

You SHOULD want to be on the honor list.  You should want to get good grades.  But most importantly you SHOULD do your best.  And if truly doing your best means that you get Cs, that's okay.  I'll say it (write it) again...If you are doing your best and your best is C level (or even D level), it's okay.

That's not to say you shouldn't aspire to get on honor roll.  But grades (and hence the honor roll list) do not and should not define who you are.  You are not a letter or a number.  You are a flesh and blood person with a multitude of qualities and attributes...some of which are good and some which will not be so good.  Think about it this way, does anyone know (or care) what Mother Theresa's grades were?  (Or conversely, where Hitler ranked among his classmates?)

The honor roll does matter.  I'm not that naive.   But it DOES NOT define you.  Your actions; the person that you are at the core, are what truly matter in life.  Honor roll; that can be the icing on the cake.  But even cake without icing is pretty darned good.

If you (or your kid) did make honor roll (or high honor roll), congratulations!   To all, keep up the good work that you've been doing and continue to strive to do better.  To all (students, parents...and everybody), do your best in all that you can.  Be proud of who you are.  Be kind (and not just during the holidays).  


No matter where you fall on the grade scale, remember in the long run you're NOT going to be remembered for your grades, but for being the person you are. 


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