A Glimpse Into Awards Night

Come May, nearly every senior across campus rejoices at the prospect of graduation and entering the real world (please ignore their hysterical sobs as they try to dodge the cumbersome deadlines and responsibilities that accompany life after high school).

After four years of laborious efforts, seniors have finally made it. All the deadlines, assignments, and lack of sleep has finally counted for something! Despite the upcoming AP test and finals that are bound to spring upon innocent students, one event stands out which will highlight the beginning of May.  

Come May 3, hundreds of students will attend Awards Night, a Pitman tradition which showcases the nominated students who will receive at least one of many, many awards for their achievements.

From six to nine in the evening, students will flock to the Pitman High Gymnasium with eager anticipation.

Jamie Nascimento, head of counseling, spends much of the school year preparing for Awards Night, and with 122 students in addition to their families attending, we that know this is no easy feat.

Although no one knows for sure who will be taking home which award, it is absolutely safe to say that everyone in attendance will be leaving home with something.

Invitations were sent out in late April listing not only the exclusive location of the event but also listing which awards they have been nominated for.

Ms. Nascimento explains some of the awards which will be given stating that “we have local scholarships and awards given from scholar athlete awards to perfect attendance awards. We also have the CSF, the California Scholarship Federation awards.”

In addition fellow students have been nominated for the Medal of Achievement, a Certificate of Accomplishment, an Academic Plaque, and other scholarships just to name a few.

The Roaring Times was able to speak with nominee Jackie Godinez to ask her about the upcoming Awards Night. When asked if she felt that this Awards Night provides just compensation for the effort that she put in, Godinez responded with a simple “I feel like I finally did something these four years.”

Most nominees feel the same. One nominee, who wishes to remain anonymous, proclaimed “I’m so happy I will fall out of my chair!”

The awards are pretty much up for grabs and not one nominee knows which award they shall win or how many.

Ms. Nascimento explains that the not knowing is one of her favorite parts. “We like for it to be a surprise,” she says, “We don’t tell them what they are getting until they are called on stage.”

In addition to giving The Roaring Times the exclusive run-down on all things Awards Night, Nascimento gushed about the students saying, “we are always so proud of the students and wish them the best in their future education.”

As a last thought, The Roaring Times asked Ms. Nascimento if she had a favorite part to the event in which she indulged that her favorite part “is watching the program come together,” of course in addition to “seeing all these kids have a good time and get their awards.”