She Almost Miss It

She was a consistent first honor student (in all grading periods from first year up to third year). She was also a consistent SSG officer, a consistent student writer and a consistent Math Quizzer. She participated in all curricular and extra-curricular activities as much as she can. At the end of her third year, she joined the advance training for CAT to be an officer but she didn't finish it because her adviser told her that she might lose focus on her academe.

During her fourth year in high school, she joined a lot of competitions, elections, seminars and workshops as an honor student, an SSG officer and a student writer. Most of those she attended on her own with her coach. She did everything to lift up the name of the school and she went home with various awards and recognition. There are some she doesn't want to accept because she will miss a lot of classes hours but the academic coordinator insisted her to join. The downside is, she was always absent in her class and she has to take the exams without much review because her notes were not complete.

Her adviser didn't remind her of her grades in compromised. On the second grading of her fourth year, she ranked second for the first time in her high school life. Because of that, she was discouraged. She didn't attend the recognition day because she felt that people will laugh at her failure. Worst is, their rank one was her best friend. She didn't blame anyone but her classroom adviser and herself.. Why did it happened?  She told herself, "I've done everything for the school but the school doesn't seem to care for me". At the end of the day, what is leadership award and journalist of the year if she's not the class valedictorian? National leadership training and national schools press conference won't give her scholarship anyway. So she gave up some of her commitments such as regional leadership training in which she should be one of the moderators.

She heard some people in their school, including her teachers, telling she cannot accept defeat 'cause she didn't come to receive her rank 2 recognition card. She didn't care. Those people didn't know what she's striving for anyway. She knew she would have been able to maintain it to the top had she not exhaust her time in joining those extra- curricular activities. She learned her lessons the hard and painful way. She focused on her studies and at the end of the school year she was awarded as class valedictorian.

 It was painful that somewhat her school betrayed her but she was thankful it happened early, at least she was able to prevent her worst nightmare from happening. Gladly, some teachers also believed in her and they stood up to defend her. Her father also came to school not to scold the teachers but only to ask for explanation. The school admin, the teachers and the parent talked about it and the issue was resolved. She wasn't able to change her second grading rank but she was able to get up and move forward again.

Right now, she continues to prove herself to the public that she deserves to be class valedictorian. She's very much aware that a lot of people are waiting for her to fall again but she doesn't care. She will live her life according to what makes her happy. If she fall, then be it. After all, failures make us stronger!

You don't need other people's validation that you are good, bright or smart. If you know yourself, you know where you stand.