All hail mediocrity

[Ted King]

I think a special ceremony at night for academic awards is a bit much for middle school. At the middle school where I taught we would have a morning each quarter where academically high achieving kids were invited into the cafeteria just before school to have milk (optional chocolate milk, of course) and pastries and pick up their awards - no "ceremony". A lot of the boys chose to play basketball rather than pick up their awards, but I know for many of the kids, those awards were fairly meaningful (a little tangible something that they can see as a reward for their commitment and hard work).

I never noticed the kids who weren't getting awards caring much one way or the other for the most part.

I think some acknowledgment of high academic achievement is good at any age level, just like there should be acknowledgment for high athletic achievement or artistic achievement.