Last week many of us had the opportunity to attend the Awards Night at Golden Secondary School. It’s cool to watch our friends and teens being recognized for their effort in many different areas. My guess is that there’s a lot more of you out there who worked your tail off to go from a “D” to a “C”; or from a “C” to a “B”. You didn’t hear your name called out over a sound system or didn’t get to climb up steps to a stage while fighting back a weird mixture of pride and embarrassment. You won’t find your name on a trophy or a plaque. Heck – maybe your biggest accomplishment was just to stay in school! Just give me 51% and I’ll be happy. That was me. I fought through and managed to graduate high school with a 51% average. No fanfare – no cheering – barely a pat on the back. I’m sure that a number of my teachers had very little hope for a 17 year old kid who seemed so distracted and unmotivated to excel.

So this is for all of you (and you know who you are) who made a few great decisions this year without showing up on any academic or athletic list (or any list for that matter). God sees you when nobody else does. He understands you when nobody else does. He cheers for you when nobody else does.

I serve on an executive board with a friend named Dean who has a 17 year old daughter named Stephanie. During one of our meetings Dean had to step out to answer a call on his cell phone. It was Stephanie calling to inform him that (with only 6 weeks until graduation) she decided to quit school. When he returned to our meeting, Dean was devastated. We paused our meeting and simply bowed our hearts in prayer and asked God to encourage Stephanie and to speak to her distracted heart.

A few days ago I got a great email from Dean. He wrote to let me know that with only 2 weeks to go Stephanie made a series of awesome choices. She sorted things out emotionally, distanced herself from the so called “friends” that contributed to the pressure which was influencing her choice to quit. She made appointments with her teachers, developed a 2-week “catch-up” plan with them and worked hard evenings and weekends to meet her goals. A few hours before his email, Stephanie’s teachers had called a meeting with her and informed her that she had done it – and would be graduating! But more importantly – that they were so very proud of her.

So I have something to say to all of you who worked at it but just squeaked by. For all of you who had to work through incredible personal or family issues during this school year (that nobody knew about). For you who are gifted and skilled with your hands but not with chemistry and physics (I hated chemistry). For all of you who (for the first time in a long time) decided to make one good choice with your future in mind. For all of you who have never won a trophy or a medal but honesty do your best. I am so proud of you. You deserve much honour. Way to go! You are my heros.