about a certificate from the President to "top 100 students"

[*JoGo*]

Mine was "signed by" President Clinton... I got it in 5th grade in 1993. And I remember being so excited I had something signed by the President, OMG! Only a few kids got them.

My son's school doesn't give out this award, I don't know if they opt out b/c it's a private school or if they don't have the option of giving out this award.

 

[johnsontrio]

Mine was "signed by" President Clinton... I got it in 5th grade in 1993. And I remember being so excited I had something signed by the President, OMG! Only a few kids got them.

My son's school doesn't give out this award, I don't know if they opt out b/c it's a private school or if they don't have the option of giving out this award.

My DD received this award last month at the Honors Convocation at her private school, so private schools must be able to give these awards if they choose. I briefly looked at this thread earlier today and while I was filing paperwork, I looked into her envelope that had her awards from graduation and she had this same certificate, signed by Obama and the Sec. of Education. Stamped, I should say, not really personally signed.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

I believe to be absurd because she said it was the top 100 in the NATION. The WHOLE US.

The are millions upon millions of kids in school in the us. How can they determine the top hundred on grades alone? She would have to have done somethig really extraordinary to excell that way.

And yes, it would be an amazing accomplishment. I bet it would make the news and the school she goes to would make a big deal about it. But so far, only this lady has mantioned it

You are absoulutely right! We do not have a national test and to be a top student in one state (given the lack of standardization in curriculum etc ) would not hold the same weight in another state.Any award with reference to academics would lack validity coming from any member of government IMHO.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Well, you know and we know that those grades are real grades. How could they not be? Your coworkers are, frankly, being immature in their reactions.

We also know the award certificate is real - no problem there. But what's the point of embellishing its (false) exclusivity? It would be like you saying, "My daughter is the only student this term to get only A+s and As on her repot card".

 

[kaytieeldr]

Here is an award given by Bush that looks like there are only about 100 winners in the country:
http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/educatio...ay_winners.pdf

I'm going to go out on a (very small ) limb here and say that award was (a) given to some entrants in a specific competition (b) by an entity, not an individual or a sitting President (c) several years after Bush became a private citizen (d) in Texas, not the entire country (e) with 152 recipients at four different levels in several categories (f) with no indication in the link of any signature, original, machine-generated, or otherwise.

 

[Schmeck]

The Presidential Awards are only given out to students who attend schools that apply for the awards, BTW. If you think of all the schools in the country, I wonder how many of them take the time, have the resources and funding (it takes time and money to apply) to even apply for one of these awards.

Our school district has many awards, some funded by the business sector, so we do not apply for Presidential academics awards. We do apply for the Physical Fitness ones though.

 

[agnes!]

Not sure why they'd call it the top 100 students because it would be hard enough to come up with the top 100 students in a county, much less the country.

My oldest DS was top of his school all the way through middle school and then he went to a science and tech HS where everyone was top of their schools up til then. Competition was stiff to get in, but no one ever got anything like "top 100 students". They were in who's who, national merit scholars, stuff like that. And most of them were recognized in their home county for academic achievement. But, I have never heard of what the OP posted.

Ah, TJ...

DD received the President's Award for Academic Excellence this year:

It is for a high GPA, high test scores and recommendation of the teacher. The certificate is really nice and is hand signed in certain areas, but I really don't think President Obama personally signed it! Also, it is not for the "Top 100" kids, I think it is more in the thousands!

If he takes the time to sign all these certificates, the US is in some serious trouble ... (they're signed by autopen or printed out along with the certificates).

There's apparently a similar program for HS Seniors who are graduating and maintained a 3.8 or above in their HS GPA. Now ask me how I know !

agnes!

 

[mjkacmom]

My kids get them every year - I don't even save them. Maybe they're for straightr A's? Dd10 also said she got the president's award for fitness (number of sit-ups, running speed?).

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

Why do we have to find fault in people's "bragging"? Perhaps she was mistaken. It wasn't like she lied. Her niece did receive the award. How about a congratulations rather than a let me find out if this is true. This seems to be a thing of late. Other people putting down parents when they want to say how proud they are of their children. My DD just received her report card yesterday. She got 2 A +'s and 4 A's. The A was her lowest grade. Another parent, who was rightfully proud of her DD, came over and said "Sally got 4 A's and 2 B's how did your DD do?" So, I told her. She then became upset and stormed away. A co worker of mine has a son a few years older than my DD. She asked how my DD did. I told her and she said, "those aren't real grades anyway." Really??? I told her they most certainly are. My DD works her butt off and consistently brings home 100's.

Why do people feel the need to minimize accomplishments?

If she annoys you so badly, why are you FB friends with her?? My friends brag on their kids all the time and I'm always thrilled for them.

I think people just like to complain.

 

[bombygriz]

Eh, I got this at my grade 8 graduation. You can tell that the signature is printed, not hand signed. It's an honor, but not as big as the person in question made it seem.

 

[Tink888]

DD received the President's Award for Academic Excellence this year:

It is for a high GPA, high test scores and recommendation of the teacher. The certificate is really nice and is hand signed in certain areas, but I really don't think President Obama personally signed it! Also, it is not for the "Top 100" kids, I think it is more in the thousands!

This. DS15 received one in 6th grade also.

Why do we have to find fault in people's "bragging"? Perhaps she was mistaken. It wasn't like she lied. Her niece did receive the award. How about a congratulations rather than a let me find out if this is true. This seems to be a thing of late. Other people putting down parents when they want to say how proud they are of their children.

Why do people feel the need to minimize accomplishments?

I will admit that it does get annoying when people brag constantly, about anything, be it their kids, themselves, their stuff, etc. but the occasional brag to share good news is fine.

OP, maybe your friend made an honest mistake or maybe she just embellished but either way, the child did receive an academic award which she had to work hard to get and that's definitely something to be proud of. Why not just post a simple comment saying "Congrats to her, that's terrific" and make your friend feel good.

 

[aprilgail2]

My daughter got some presidental signed thing last year at the 5th grade award ceremony- there was about 10 kids out of the 90 at the awards that got it. It was for academics not for fitness-she would never have gotten the one for fitness.

 

[babytrees]

DD received the President's Award for Academic Excellence this year:

It is for a high GPA, high test scores and recommendation of the teacher. The certificate is really nice and is hand signed in certain areas, but I really don't think President Obama personally signed it! Also, it is not for the "Top 100" kids, I think it is more in the thousands!

Both of my daughter's have received those at their 8th grade continuation. It's a great honor but not top 100 in the country,

 

[CurlyGirl]

My niece (moving up from 5th grade) got the President's Academic Awards for Excellence tonight. She was one of 20 in her grade.

 

[JVL1018]

The Presidential Awards are only given out to students who attend schools that apply for the awards, BTW. If you think of all the schools in the country, I wonder how many of them take the time, have the resources and funding (it takes time and money to apply) to even apply for one of these awards.

Our school district has many awards, some funded by the business sector, so we do not apply for Presidential academics awards. We do apply for the Physical Fitness ones though.

There was stack of the Presidential awards in the office of my kids' school and I said to the secretary-wow, that's a lot of certificates-you're feeling positive, huh? LOL
And she said, oh they're free, I just ordered a bunch.
Kids here get them if they get all As all year long.

 

[shirleyb]

My DD got one in 6th grade - she was the only one in her school, but it's a small school - there were only about 24 6th graders!!!

She just got another one at the end of 8th grade, and she said several in her grade got one also - don't know if several means 5 or 15!

I don't think all schools submit for the award since my nephew is also a straight A student and didn't get one.

 

[newbie2disney]

Our middle school gives these out also. To earn the one with gold print you had to have a 3.5 GPA during both grades of middle school and there is a silver print one that I think was 3.25 GPA. The ones that earned the gold one also received a pin. It is an honor to recieve the certificates, but they are a generic form. At our school they recieve a letter from the president also, which is photocopied from the original sent to the principal. I process all certificates given to the students and the students name, principal's name and school all have to be filled in on the certificates.
Unfortunately, my kids haven't recieved the academic ones, but the physical fitness ones aren't too bad either

 

[ccgirl]

Our middle school gives these out also. To earn the one with gold print you had to have a 3.5 GPA during both grades of middle school and there is a silver print one that I think was 3.25 GPA. The ones that earned the gold one also received a pin. It is an honor to recieve the certificates, but they are a generic form. At our school they recieve a letter from the president also, which is photocopied from the original sent to the principal. I process all certificates given to the students and the students name, principal's name and school all have to be filled in on the certificates.
Unfortunately, my kids haven't recieved the academic ones, but the physical fitness ones aren't too bad either

The way I look at it, and award is an accomplishment and should be celebrated! Physical Fitness, Academic, Sports etc. They are all great!

Kudos to all of those whose children have received them. That is great!

My DD's school does not apply for these rewards, or any awards for that matter. Their motto is, "We honor all of our students." Not sure how I feel about that, it is what it is I guess.

 

[m&m's mom]

Heck! Color me as someone who would cry "bull" too.
It's just like a daily Christmas Brag Letter. Those are bad enough one time a year.

OK, jokes on me.
I am (finally) cleaning out all the school stuff from last year. DD got out in early June. I just opened her packet that included her report card. I do not pay a lot of attention to their report card since I see all grades online.
Well.... there with all her awards is "The President's Education Awards Program".
The kind of funny thing is the "award" was only put in her folder w/ the awards she got recognized for at the graduation. No menition was ever made of it and I would not even know what is was if not for this thread.

 

[Pugsley]

I thnk it's only normal that when someones makes such a huge claim people are going to wonder. Besides, I'd never heard of such award, so I wanted to know if such thing even existed, so I asked.

I never thought I'd offend anyone by asking this question

Oh, you will offend someone here no matter WHAT you ask!