The last couple of weeks have been full of year-end events at CAJ.
- A week ago Wednesday Miles and his classmates gave their senior comprehensive presentations, culminating a year long project. We all went to watch and Miles did quite well, and was selected as one of six recipients for the Joan Johnston Senior Comprehensives Award.
- Thursday night we attended the Co-curricular Awards Event and both Miles and Kendra received recognition for their participation in the varsity track and field team. Miles received a league all-star patch for winning the shot-put event and was selected as a co-recipient of the team MVP award. Kendra also received a league all-star patch for winning the discus event and was chosen as the Rookie of the Year.
- Friday night was the spring concert at CAJ and during the concert they announced some of athletic awards as well. Miles was very pleased to be selected as the Male Athlete of the Year and also received the Senior Medallion Award for lettering in three sports. Kendra sang in the choir and was also recognized as a three sport varsity athlete.
- Saturday was the Middle School year end picnic, which was a time for fun, games and food; hosted by the parents of the graduating 8th grade class. (Eli’s class)
- The following Tuesday was the Middle School Graduation; which is always a lot of fun since those “almost high schoolers” love to show off just how grown up they’ve become! Eli didn’t have to do much in that regard, as he was standing head and shoulders above most of his classmates as they received their diplomas and stood on the risers.
- Thursday was the Senior Banquet. This event is sponsored by the parents of the graduating seniors and is a formal dinner/party. This year it was held at a nice restaurant on the 58th floor of a high rise building in Ikebukuro. I volunteered to be the event photographer and set up a small studio on-site, which proved to be quite a hit.
- Finally on Friday the culminating event; the High School Graduation. Miles and his classmates donned their gowns and mortarboards and tried to keep their tassels on the right side until the special moment. Miles was again recognized for a couple of awards. First was the Career Knights Roll of Honor award for being on the honor roll every semester of his high school career. And the big award for Miles this night was the Fitzgerald Career Athletic Award.
- And although it seems like it should have been over by then, there was one more event for the graduating seniors. Immediately following the graduation reception on Friday night they all piled into several vans, one of which was driven by Hydi and drove out to the coast in Chiba to watch their first post-high school sunrise together. By the time they got home around noon on Saturday everyone was pretty beat! But that didn’t stop Miles and his friends from hopping on the train and going over to ASIJ to attend graduation there as well, watching several of their friends receive diplomas.
These are days that we will always remember. They are milestone events in the lives of our children, particularly Miles. We feel blessed and are thankful; and I am particularly glad that we can close this chapter and go on to the next with so much celebration.
Celebrating with Miles
