<p>Ah, the fun begins in a couple of hours (it’s not quite 6am yet!).</p>
<p>We’re going to do a circle tour covering half the island. It’ll take us through pineapple fields, along the fabled North Shore (home of the Banzai Pipeline), through the lush windward side, over to gorgeous Kailua beach for a swim, up the Koolau Mountains to the spectacular Pali Lookout, then into downtown Honolulu for a quick peek at Iolani Palace, time permitting, before we head back to HNL and I drop my new friend off for his journey to Samoa. </p>
<p>Being the poor guy who chose to go to Alabama, he’s been relegated to doing important work there for NOAA. If only he’d selected a “good” college.</p>
<p>Malanai: Love the “Rolleth”. I hadn’t heard of that term yet. I do love the way you write and your witty sense of humor.</p>
<p>Enjoyed the Henry the 6th quote. My D’s and I have read all of the histories and nearly all of the other plays. </p>
<p>The tour of Hawaii sounds idyllic. I hope you and momread’s S have a great time. So many wonderful, intelligent, and nice folks at UA. Their parents included.</p>
<p>Malani: Your circle tour makes me miss Hawaii! We have visited a few times and I spent part of my senior year at Radford. I have been trying to plan a return visit but airfare is so high compared to our past trips that I am reluctant to book!</p>
<p>Just capped off a wonderful day with momreads’ son. What an OUTSTANDING young man!</p>
<p>We were very lucky today. The weather was chamber-of-commerce perfect, the trade winds were just right, and the pineapple was sweet and juicy. Threw in a little side trip to the POTUS’ alma mater to wrap it all in a ribbon, then sent him on his way to American Samoa with, what else? A hearty Roll Tide!</p>
<p>Malanai: My son called about 20 minutes before boarding his plane for American Samoa. Said he had an incredible day with a wonderful host. He hopes that he will see you and your wife in early September in Dallas.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for sharing your day with him. He had a blast. RTR!!!</p>
<p>Our UA rep was at Awards Day yesterday. It was a total surprise. She gave a nice presentation of the scholarship. The kids gave a standing ovation when they heard the amount, and there were even a few Roll Tides heard.</p>
<p>Yankee Belle: How wonderful!! It is such a boost to the student’s confidence in their college choice when that happens. We know that they made a terrific selection but it is nice for others to affirm it.</p>
<p>Now I am worried. My daughter would not want them coming to her high school and presenting her with an award. She is the type of kid who does not want all eyes on her. I think that this kind of thing is not something our school allows since so many kids are receiving college scholarships in the class of 300 plus students.</p>
<p>No worries, linnylu. If it happens and it is like the one at D1’s school the rep talks about the scholarship briefly and then the student comes up to receive the certificate and it doesn’t take long. D1’s class had 420 graduates and it didn’t really take long. D’s 2 & 3 will have 600 in their classes and their school allows it. Neither D1 or D2 really like the spotlight very much. I’d expect your D to receive recognition anyway as NMF. Relax and enjoy…it will be fine either way.:)</p>
<p>My son’s class had about 600 graduating seniors, and they publish the scholarships in the graduation program, so I know that there were many top students receiving multiple scholarships. However, only one university sent a rep to senior awards’ night. Believe me that the presentation was quick and painless, with all the other awards that need to be given out they can’t spend much time on each.
If your daughter is an NMF, then she is a high achiever and will probably be recognized for more than one award. However, I guess that if it would upset her to receive public accolades for any of her awards, then she could always opt out of attending the awards night.
I don’t know how your high school notifies students but my son was only aware of some of his awards prior to that evening. At awards night they gave the student a number upon arrival and based on that number they were seated in a certain order. (we later found out that the order was based on the number of awards won). So if my son had not attended his awards night, he would not have known till later what he had won.</p>
<p>Our Senior Award Night was last week. The rep did not come, however Alabama sent a beautiful certificate for each of the scholarship students. We have 9 going to Bama next year on the Presidential Scholarship *from my daughter’s graduating class of 423. That speaks so highly of the University! Roll Tide!</p>
<p>STL, my S may be rooming with two of those classmates. His suite has two kids from a certain Christian high school in STL. Might that be the one?</p>