Brag alert.  Tristan is my angel (if you haven’t guessed from every other post on this blog).  I’m so proud of this kid and have to take a moment to raise him up and memorialize a very special moment in his life (which is what I love most about blogging). Feel free to skip on by this post – I know it’s wordy.  

Tristan was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society Monday, March 24.  That date also happens to be Matt’s and my wedding anniversary … best gift ever.  I don’t know how all chapters of NJHS work, but let me start from the beginning on Tristan’s journey into induction.

We received notification that Little Bear was nominated by a teacher for having a 90 or above grade average, and also having outstanding character, scholarship, leadership, service and citizenship.  We think he’s the greatest, but having his teachers and school agree and recognize his achievements is so heartwarming.

Side note … we’ve been very fortunate that he’s had some really outstanding teachers through the years and quite a few of those teachers have stayed in touch, and have had wonderful words of praise for Tristan.  Our favorite teacher (Mr. Cuda) specifically asked us to stay in touch so that he could follow Tristan’s life path. 

After the letter of nomination, Tristan had to get the endorsement of 5 teachers.  His ELA teacher is the chair of NJHS and she’s the teacher who nominated him.  She forewarned kids nominated in her classes not to ask for her endorsement. So it was a huge surprise and honor, when she walked by Tristan’s desk after handing him the nomination form, didn’t say a word, but picked up his paper and returned it with his first endorsement.  

After he turned in his form completed with the endorsements, he still had to be approved by the committee and it was a long week’s wait.  We cheered and celebrated when he received the official notification that he had been chosen.

Fast forward a few weeks to March 24 and the evening of the ceremony.  

Momma’s pride and joy

He was nervous

He has a great good of friends, and it shows that he has chosen his group well, by the fact that every one of his friends was also inducted.  I adore these kids!

The ceremony was very emotional as the teachers and counselors spoke of the kids.  Tristan’s gifted and talented teacher was given special mention at the ceremony and I teared up to hear a very special teacher receive the praise he deserved.  Each child was able to honor a teacher as a mentor, and Mr. Mann is the teacher Tristan chose (Mr. Cuda is no longer teaching, but was actually promoted to Vice Principal of an elementary school).  We were surprised and thrilled to see Mr. Cuda across the gym. Each kiddo was called up, their mentor was mentioned, and they were given certificates and their official membership cards (start the video below at 0:30 to see Tristan’s walk).

After the ceremony, we made a bee-line path to our favorite teacher.  As I later told Mr. Cuda, I watched the conversation he had with Tristan and again teared up.  This wonderfully extraordinary man is sincerely interested in Tristan’s life and well-being.  He caught Tristan up in a big bear hug, listened to every word Tristan said, and every word and response Mr. Cuda spoke to Tristan lifted Tristan’s spirit and self-esteem a bit higher.  I watched Tristan beam with pride that he was remembered and still cherished by a teacher who still means so much to him. I asked to take a photo of them and almost broke into full tears as Mr. Cuda asked if I would take a photo of the 2 of them with his camera also.  Not many men would do that.  He is truly that once-in-a-lifetime teacher.

Tristan and Mr. Cuda

As we finished with that photo, another former and special teacher from elementary rushed up to give hugs and catch up.  

Tristan with Mrs. Clark – another fantastic teacher on our favorite list

We also had a chance to thank Mr. Mann for being Tristan’s safe place in middle school and for taking over where Mr. Cuda left off.  No one can really fill Mr. Cuda’s shoes, but Mr. Mann is pretty darn amazing!

Tristan and Mr. Mann

NJHS is not just academic … these kids are expected to complete charity and service works throughout the year.  Tristan eagerly jumped at the chance to help out in an upcoming fundraiser to benefit St. Jude’s.  Tristan has lost 2 friends to cancer, so Leukemia/cancer charities and (especially St, Jude’s) have been close to his heart and have been his charities of choice for a few years now.  He squirrels away money that he receives so that he can donate, and putting in service hours to benefit the organization is something that he’s really looking forward to.

A few final words about my baby … he knows I’ve been pretty stressed lately and he came to me last night with this in hand.  He said, “I know it isn’t much, but I just wanted to give you something to remind you how much I love you, that you’re the best mom in the world, and I just wanted you to know how grateful I am for everything you do for me.”

As a line from a beautiful song in a beautiful movie says, “somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must have done something good.”  I may never know what I did to deserve this child, but I will never take him for granted.  He is my light.