End of the school year

I am proud of my grandsons. I tell them that sometimes, but I think I should probably tell them that even more often. (And I'm proud of Allie for teaching them.)

I'm proud because they are both genuinely nice guys. I've seen the kindness they show to other kids. I've experienced the patience they show toward their ageing grandparents. They demonstrate the love they feel for their mom.  My pride is in who they are. 

The fact that they also excel in academics and sports is icing on the cake.

I can't show you pictures of their kindness or patience or loving nature; you'll have to take my word on that, but I do have some shots of them in other sorts of action. This is my end-of-the-school-year pat on the back to two great guys who are growing into fine young men. 

Look at that arm full of award bars on his school jacket. He wasted no time in this, his first year of middle school. 

He was involved in Lit Quiz, (competition involving knowledge of literature) Mathex, (competition involving knowledge of math) Fencing, (competition involving poking with pointed metal things) ICAS testing, (International competition and assessment) and Spec classes (South Pacific educational courses.)  

Amiri is in white. Allie took these two pictures during a fencing match.  

He scored a point. 

Note: they are actually using 'epees'. *

Okay, maybe this IS a way to show the boys' kind natures. Amiri fasted 40 hours and raised money from sponsors for this appeal. Arram is too young for this fast, but he did his part too. He fasted from furniture. In other words, he did not sit on a chair or couch, or sleep in his bed, for the 40 hour period. 

Amiri is always ready to try new things. Here he is in the mall in front of this 'Jandalball' game they just installed. He was giving it all he was worth.  

Exciting times with his team at the Mathex competition in Auckland.

The top math students at GEIS with their coach. 

Arram had a great year too. 

  Here he is finishing the 800 metre race for nine year olds in 1st place. This was at Summerland's Sports Day, held a couple of weeks ago at the local arena.
Because of this win, he was invited to compete in the Henderson Area 'Cluster,' race. I think  10 schools sent competitors. 

Here he is finishing third in the 800 yard Cluster. Wow. 

He was very pleased, to say the least. 

I wish that I had that race on video. The runners blasted off the starting line. Arram was probably 4th from last place during the first hundred meters, but he knew the race was a long one. As that initial explosion of adrenalin that fueled each kid at the start of the race subsided, Arram started picking off runners ahead of him one by one. A few fought back, he said later, but he was able to wear them down and go by. He was still steadily gaining at the end of the race on the guy who finished 2nd. If the race had been just a little longer, I'm convinced that Arram would have beaten him too. 

He won the Galbraith Award.  (best player of the year)

He played 'Burt Winkleman' in the school production. 

At this year's 'Celebration of Excellence' for Summerland Primary, he won the academic award for his class. This picture was taken moments before his name was called. He was really hoping for it. He deserved it. 

For example: One day, out of the blue, he presented his mom with a story he had written at home for fun about a character he named 'Sticky Joe.' We all loved it and told him he HAD to show it to his teacher. Well, she loved it too and had him read it aloud to the class. It was such a hit that he wrote two more stories about Sticky Joe.

He and his close friend Sina who won the effort and improvement award.  

I almost forgot about yet another activity. They are both orange belts in karate and do some volunteer work for their sensei (teacher). They come in an hour before their class starts and demonstrate the positions to the rookie class members who are working toward their white belt. 

We've had a wonderful year.  In addition to everything else they do, there is the keyboard. Arram is actively taking classes, and although Amiri no longer studies it, he often sits down and shows he hasn't lost much of this ability. 

The boys now get to rest up; well, mostly anyway. Grandpa school starts whenever regular school isn't running. They fuss a bit about my lessons, but they don't really mind. The classes are really very easy and take only about 10 minutes. The more they know about the U.S. and the world after all, the better off they'll be. My first class is a video on primitive copper smelting. Two guys actually produce a copper hatchet using no machinery; nothing but ingenuity and effort. It's fascinating. 

The boys start their new year on January 30th.                                  -djf

*  Something I didn't know: There are three kinds of fencing swords.

A foil is the lightest fencing sword. For thrusting. Rectangular blade. About 350 grams in weight.

An epee is the heaviest fencing sword Also for thrusting. Triangular blade.  About 770 grams.

A sabre can slash or thrust. Flat blade.  About 500 grams.