HS Graduation Ceremony

Tommygun

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Is it customary for our sons/daughters to be recognized by BGO or other Naval personnel for appointment to USNA during their HS graduation or awards ceremony? Would NAPSTERS receive the recognition as well? Just curious as to what is the norm. Thanks all.
 
YES!!! Be sure to have your child contact his/her high school guidance counselor. At our 3600+high school there is a huge end of the year awards and scholarship assembly. There is one contact person in the guidance office that coordinates all the awards presentations. She would let the BGO know of the date/time and put them into the scheduling of awards. Up on the stage are probably 50+ people waiting to present all kinds of service/community/etc. awards to graduating seniors. ROTC uniformed officers are there to award the huge 'fake' checks to describe the value of those funds to the senior and if at all possible USNA's BGO comes.

In our case in '06 our girl's BGO was there in full Summer Whites, as a Navy Captain and made a HUGE deal to everyone about what our young lady was about to do and the value of her education. It was very memorable.

The same would apply to a Napster.....This is the US Navy and the Naval Academy offering the high school graduate their educational opportunities so yes, they would be represented - if at all possible.

Let us all know how things turn out
 
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Is it OK if we don't want to be recognized? My school is very anti- military and I would not feel comfortable receiving the award at our scholarship ceremony. Will my BGO have a problem with this?
 
Don't be ashamed

Be proud that your going to be an officer in the United States military. You are going to serve your country honorably, just like the rest of us on this forum. If they can't understand what we sacrifice for them, then thats their problem.
 
lacrosse13, I also say go for it. You have worked very hard to earn this and you deserve to be given the respect of having your BGO present it to you at your HS awards ceremony.
 
Generally, the presentation is well received and impressive. Go for it.
 
My son's school was/is very liberal. The BGO presented the award while the principal stated a few things the BGO wrote (his school does not allow for scholarship presenters to speak, the principal does all with the presenters handing out the awards, in fact SA are the only outside presenters they do allow - it is done very nicely and prohibits it from dragging on all night) Most importantly, the presentation was very well received by both his peer group and faculty - standing ovation.

Your peer group will be proud of your decision to attend a SA, you will be surprised.

If you want it presented at your awards go for it, if you do not that is ok too. My son had mixed thoughts on the presentation but for different reasons. He felt what he was about to do was no different than his best friend who was going off to Stanford (she will server her country in the state department) He certainly still feels today that his decision to attend USNA was personal and not to get big pats on the back. That is one of his complaints, the attitude that some Mids and their parents carry that they are better than their civilian peers because they are at SA's. Yes these kids have worked hard but so have many of their HS peers, they just have chosen a different path, none more important than the next. So if for other reasons you do not want a big to do at awards, it is your decision alone and it is ok.
 
My Mid did not have his BGO present his Appointment for many of the same reasons stated above. Did not want the attention, nor the accolades. He said save those for when he is commissioned. Then he will have earned them but not before. Before all it is is a decision. No different than the rest of his graduating class. Ashamed had nothing to do with the decision - I would say being humble was more like it.

Like the above poster, he too dislikes the attitude that some Mids carry about being better. Probably his only complaint about USNA - too much arrogance, especially in the underclass in his opinion. Luckily, by second class year he has felt that for the most part they have learned to manage the arrogance.
 
I was reading on our school website... they have the school profile posted and on it they porudly list the number of Academy appts received. I read last years and noticed that they had only one listed for USMA, so I sent the counselor an email and told her she missed Kim.. Kim is at the USAF prep and will be Academy come this september...... The Counselor told me "It's just prep school" at that point I was offended for my daughter.

After all the SA obviously believes she has what it takes and is willing to giver her a extra year of college. She won't have to reapply to the Academy next year, because she's already done that...

Our school does a baccalaureate ceremony a week or so before graduation so the kids can get their scholarships and such, I too think it would be appropriate for our schools only two SA applicants and two Appointees to be recognized at the ceremony.. both young women and both recieving prep offers.. My daughter and the other to the USNAPS..
 
I was reading on our school website... they have the school profile posted and on it they porudly list the number of Academy appts received. I read last years and noticed that they had only one listed for USMA, so I sent the counselor an email and told her she missed Kim.. Kim is at the USAF prep and will be Academy come this september...... The Counselor told me "It's just prep school" at that point I was offended for my daughter.

After all the SA obviously believes she has what it takes and is willing to giver her a extra year of college. She won't have to reapply to the Academy next year, because she's already done that...

Our school does a baccalaureate ceremony a week or so before graduation so the kids can get their scholarships and such, I too think it would be appropriate for our schools only two SA applicants and two Appointees to be recognized at the ceremony.. both young women and both recieving prep offers.. My daughter and the other to the USNAPS..

Okay, now I'm offended. We should be able to be reconized. This is a huge accomplishment. Not every person who applies even gets this far. Who said that anyway? That is quite rude.
 
Okay, now I'm offended. We should be able to be reconized. This is a huge accomplishment. Not every person who applies even gets this far. Who said that anyway? That is quite rude.

Hey Lins you will be recognized... If that is what you want... I will make some phone calls next month..... :) :biggrin:
 
Parents: Please make sure this is what your Mid to be wants, and is about them and not about you. Many Mids and those to be do not want all of the accolades that the parent set seems to think we need or want. If a big blown out presentation is what your child wants - find out why, does their ego need that stroke? If they do make sure that the ego is checked when they walk through the door to Alumni Hall on July 1st.

One of the big things that Plebe summer will teach your son's and daughters are that we are not better than the next. Personally if you have a kid at your school who is enlisting they should be the ones on that stage.

My school only read the listing of scholarships, with the final dollar amount, the Audience applauded. Every one of my classmates worked hard to get where they were going - no different that I did. They too had scholarship applications to fill out along with their School apps, they too had interviews. Nothing about our process (ok medical the only difference) sets us apart from the rest of these other talented peers. Personally I liked that better than if we had had show and tell on the stage.

When you are commissioned in May of 2013, get that standing ovation - that is really when you and your parents will have earned it. I include parents because it does take support from the parent community to make it though the 4 years by the bay.
 
Hey Lins you will be recognized... If that is what you want... I will make some phone calls next month..... :) :biggrin:

Absolutely, Joyce should be recognized as well. I'll just call my Blue and Gold Officer and see if he can come.
Thank you very much :shake:
 
My Mid did not have his BGO present his Appointment for many of the same reasons stated above. Did not want the attention, nor the accolades. He said save those for when he is commissioned. Then he will have earned them but not before. Before all it is is a decision. No different than the rest of his graduating class. Ashamed had nothing to do with the decision - I would say being humble was more like it.

Like the above poster, he too dislikes the attitude that some Mids carry about being better. Probably his only complaint about USNA - too much arrogance, especially in the underclass in his opinion. Luckily, by second class year he has felt that for the most part they have learned to manage the arrogance.
Hi! Just caught up on these posts. I just have another point of view regarding the presentation of SA appointments at awards assemblies. I have attended several of these in the last few years at my kids' high school. I do not believe receiving an SA appointment in public makes the recipient look arrogant or look like he or she is trying to show off or she is better than the rest. The awards ceremony is meant to highlight the accomplishments of those members of the class who have distinguished themselves in some way, academically, in community service, the arts, and athletics to name a few (my kids' high school is relatively small, so all awards are give at the same assembly). The assembly also includes the presentation or awarding of scholarships to ALL scholarship recipients: scholarships from the Lion's Clubs, Rotary, etc. scholarships from all sources. They also include awarding of the various ROTC scholarships with mention of the college they have chosen, the value of the scholarship, the selection process, and of the recipients willingness (and obligation) to serve their country once they accept/use the scholarship. These are usually presented by the local recruiter in uniform. At this time any and all SA (AND SA prep school) appointees are individually awarded their appointments (by the BGO, ALO, or other SA field rep) and a statement is made as to the "amount" of the "scholarship" the benefits of the SA, the difficulty in obtaining the appointment, etc. and of course the service obligation. This is a well earned honor and it has its place at this awards assembly, where all who have accomplished something worth mentioning are highlighted. The order of awards has been different at every assembly, so nothing is more important that anything else. The outside scholarships are usually awarded after the individual school (in house) awards from the different departments (math, science, chorus, etc.) It is also something the SA's like to do because it is a good recruiting tool for future candidates. The awards assembly is during the school day and the entire student body is present, it gives kids the idea of applying to an SA if they did not already know about it...they see some of the graduating seniors in their school (who has usually been a visible leader and role model) receiving a very attractive scholarship and job opportunity...
ps. all who enlisted were recognized at the end of the ceremony: they were the ones who got the standing ovation :)
Just a thought...
 
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Yeah Patty our school does the same.

Sometimes seniors dont know that they are even getting awards so it is full of surprises too!

My reaon for posting in this thread is I believe the Prep School kids are entitled to the same thing that the non preps are, if you look at it the military is investing another year in these kids, so they know they want them at the SA, but need to groom them a bit first.. and well after I heard that "it's just Prep" I was offended enough that I believe no prepsters should even feel less or not equal, because they are getting 5 yrs of education instead of just 4! :biggrin:....

All of these kids have done amazing things, and I say that as not just a parent but as a witness to the application process and the Nom process and everything else to go with it....
 
Parents: Please make sure this is what your Mid to be wants, and is about them and not about you. Many Mids and those to be do not want all of the accolades that the parent set seems to think we need or want. If a big blown out presentation is what your child wants - find out why, does their ego need that stroke? If they do make sure that the ego is checked when they walk through the door to Alumni Hall on July 1st.

One of the big things that Plebe summer will teach your son's and daughters are that we are not better than the next. Personally if you have a kid at your school who is enlisting they should be the ones on that stage.

My school only read the listing of scholarships, with the final dollar amount, the Audience applauded. Every one of my classmates worked hard to get where they were going - no different that I did. They too had scholarship applications to fill out along with their School apps, they too had interviews. Nothing about our process (ok medical the only difference) sets us apart from the rest of these other talented peers. Personally I liked that better than if we had had show and tell on the stage.

When you are commissioned in May of 2013, get that standing ovation - that is really when you and your parents will have earned it. I include parents because it does take support from the parent community to make it though the 4 years by the bay.
so, current mid, were you on the list of scholarship recipients and the amounts? I sure hope so. I think my son will be receiving at least one other award that day and he has worked hard in high school and deserves it. After all, graduating from high school is only one of many milestones in his life. At each of these milestones some awards are sometimes received, I will let him bask in that "so called glory" for a week or so before he gets back into the reality we have all experienced before (being big fish in little pond for a little while). It happens at different stages: 'graduating' from elementary school--people get awards (attendance for example :) and then go to middle school to be the youngest again; 'graduating' from middle school (more awards)then becoming "those little freshmen in HS"; graduating from high school (more possible awards)and going on to college or SA becoming "scum of the earth plebes, swabs, 4digs, whatever; then graduating from college (or an SA)=more potential awards including your commission if from SA (but being the lowest officer again after the "high" of being a "firstie" or senior); first promotion in the service, and every medal and ribbon you earn in the service has an awards presentation, receiving your pilot's wings, waterwings, submarine dolphins, etc. Life in the service is full of incentive to achieve and marked by receiving those well deserved and hard earned awards. At the same time learning, through experience, that every milestone or accomplishment makes you "big fish in your own mind only for a little while" and then reality hits, there are others more experienced above you who outrank you (and that is true of civilian and military life). SO, again, he will check his "ego" long before he arrives at alumni hall...but this last semester of high school (leading up to graduation) is a time for him to bask in it a bit (and for us too). Not being arrogant or having a better than everyone else attitude, but feeling good about himself is not entirely unhealthy (I don't think so anyway). Like most of the mids and graduates on here have said: enjoy your last few months of High School...at the same time continue to do well in school...don't get "senioritis." Keeping an eye on the "prize" is very helpful with keeping that attitude of doing all of your work and not falling into the trap of "senioritis" which the rest of his classmates have had pretty much since September (no joke).
OOps, sorry for the novel, I guess I felt strongly about this one...
 
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Yes as a matter of fact - with the largest $$ amount. Scholarship recipient and award amount was named. No we didn't parade up on state. It was read and a huge applause was given by the audience and the end of the list with the total amount. I received many congratulations in private.

The awards that kids got for high school achievements were presented, on stage by the principal and award presenter. Nice photo taken for us and the yearbook. Personally that is were I basked in my achievements, and yes I will admit one of those awards was probably based on my college choice of USNA (DAR Good Citizenship Award - 3rd highest award given at my school.) My other award was based on every facet of my HS career, sports, community service, service to school, Arts and scholarship - if you will that is what earned my my appointment, I was recognized for my HS accomplishments NOT for going to a SA, the recognition was appropriate for that moment in time. Every one of my graduating class was accepted to 4 year college/Universities, none of us deserved an award for going to college - it was expected of us all. Why should a SA be singled out? What about the above posters comment about the person going to Stanford and wants to serve her county in the State Department?

That is what I am talking about with arrogance, that because were are "accepted" to a SA we are somehow better than our HS peers? Humility can go a long way and in some cases save egg on a face (Kid two years in front of me in HS never made it past two weeks of Plebe summer - bet his parents were glad that no big award had been presented! - Yes we are a bunch of ringknockers and many do have that certain attitude but save it for we graduation/commissioning.
 
Nothing about our process (ok medical the only difference) sets us apart from the rest of these other talented peers. Personally I liked that better than if we had had show and tell on the stage.

Actually in addition to the DoDMERB difference
most regular colleges do not require you pass the PFE/CFA,
most regular colleges do not require you have leadership skills
most regular colleges do not require you have a Congressional Nomination to get in, and that in itself is ANOTHER hoop you had to jump thru.
most regular colleges have higher acceptance rates then the SA's
most colleges do not require you go spend your summers "physically preparing for what happens next"
most colleges do not pay you (even if it is a small amount) to attend their college

Recognizing SA/Prep appointees isnt about saying they are better then regular college kids, its about saying WOO HOO we are going to college too and this is a big deal and after you complete your 4/5 yr education you will be serving the United States of America!!! :biggrin:

:thumb::thumb:
 
That is what I am talking about with arrogance, that because were are "accepted" to a SA we are somehow better than our HS peers?

I don't think anyone here made that comment...

A point was made that Prep school kids should get recognized just as those attending the academy straight up.

in Essence it is a scholarship.... that should get awarded just as a scholarship to the University of Washington, Harvard, or Princeton..
 
Collins and Pmlutton,

Just getting caught up here on the posts. What more could I add to your posts that you haven't already said! I totally agree and "DITTO" on all your comments. Will be thinking about you all today relative to your mail deliveries......
 
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