6th Grade at West Lake Middle School

Brenna's sixth grade and first year of middle school was a big transition for both Brenna and me.  Brenna was super excited at her first chance to have some control over her class selection and to move throughout the school from class to class without supervision.  It was my first year to step away just a little and give her some independence.  I've always played a very active roll in all of Brenna's classes throughout her primary years.  So much so, that I still remain friends with several of her past teachers.  I was always there for every school activity, field trip, and presentation.  Now seemed like the right time to let her maneuver through this new school and new way of learning on her own.  She met the challenge with enthusiasm!  She joined choir as her fine arts selection and it was the best and funniest choir that she's ever been a part.  Her choir teacher was fantastic.  She also selected Leadership Development, Drama, and Computer Technologies for her other electives.  She also picked up all advance placements classes for her core subjects of Math, Science, English, and World Cultures.  Her after school activities were committed to soccer and choir, but she also decided to join the Library Club and dedicated her early mornings before school started as a library manager.  I was a little concerned that she may be taking on too much for her first year as a middle schooler, but somehow she balanced everything and was going strong.  It helped that she plugged into a really great group of girls that were just as active as she was.  The crew stuck together throughout the school year and made the most out of their opportunities for fun, from volunteering together at the school's Christmas Celebration, to water park choir field trips, and two school dances.

First Day of 6th Grade

The Crew

But by far, we were most proud at the end of the school year.  Brenna received top honors for Leadership, World Cultures, and All-A Honor Roll.  But, she also received a very special award.  I received a phone call from the principle about a month before the end of school.  She was calling to tell me that Brenna had been selected by the staff as the inaugural recipient of the West Lake Middle School Alpha Award for exemplifying respectfulness, responsibility, grit, and connectedness to her fellow students.  It's the highest honor that the school endows and each year one boy and one girl are selected for the honor and have their names engraved on a plague in the school's trophy case.  Brenna had no idea she was receiving the award and it came as a complete shock to her when they called her name.  We are so very proud of her and so thankful for the beautiful, smart, creative, kind, and outgoing young woman that she's growing into!

Because it was such a great school year and Brenna had such wonderful friends it made it hard to say goodbye to West Lake Middle School and The Groves neighborhood.