Second Admissions Letter

Today in class, which was held at the U of A, we received our first (and for some us, second) admissions letter. In addition we received a small U of A pendant. Pictures are below:

Pictures From the Banquet

Not Chosen for All-USA Team

I received confirmation this afternoon that I was not chosen for the next round of competition in regards to my scholarship. I still retain all the accolades and rewards I have earned so far but will not be sent to Washington D.C. for further contention.

Below is a copy of the letter sent to me via email:

Dear Kristi,

Thank you for participating in the 2008 All-USA Academic Team competition. Your commitment to academic excellence and community service that earned you this nomination is commendable. Unfortunately, due to the limited number of positions on the All-USA Academic Team, your nomination was not selected. Nearly 1,600 nominations were received this year, each of which represented the top 99th percentile of their sponsoring two-year institution. For your participation in the 2008 All-USA Academic Team competition, we are pleased to present you with a certificate of recognition. This certificate will be mailed directly to your college president for his or her signature in April. We appreciate you and your college submitting a nomination for the 2008 All-USA Academic Team. Through your participation, you have become part of the movement to showcase the outstanding students enrolled in our two-year colleges. We wish you the very best with your future academic endeavors.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scholarship Programs Department

Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society

1625 Eastover Drive

Jackson, MS 39211

U of A Acceptance Letter

I have known for about a week that I was accepted to the U of A but didn't receive the proof until this afternoon. Below is the letter:

Identification Badges

Matthew found these in the car this afternoon.
We were each given an ID badge to be worn during the banquet. My ID badge has attached a blue ribbon stating that I am on the "Second Team". All of the candidates in Arizona were divided into three groups, First Team, Second Team, and Third Team. First Team received an extra $1000, Second Team an extra $750, and Third Team $500 from their community college. My additional money should hopefully pay for 1-2 semesters of books!

My Pride and Joy

What can I say other than I am still wearing it!

Recognition by the Regents and Award

All State Academic Team Award

Recognition by the Governor

The East Valley Tribune

Each attendee was given a page from the East Valley Tribune (a Phoenix newspaper) in which there was a one page spread on the scholarship winners:
I have extras of these if anyone wants one (although I don't know why you would).

Newspaper Insert

There were a couple of these on each Pima Community College table. These were inserts in today's Tucson Citizen Newspaper.

The Program

Each attendee was also given a program of events:

Souvenir

Each attendee was given a souvenir bookmark commemorating the day. I guess they assume that since we are smart, we read.

Awards Banquet

Matthew and I just returned home about an hour ago from my scholarship banquet. There are about 13 different items to put up here, so it may take me awhile to scan them all.

Since there are so many of them, I am going to label each one separately so that you know what is what.

We had a good time and had a good meal and my tuition is now officially free, so life is good!

First Publication

This was published through @ Pima News, a weekly publication for Pima Community College Employees. My Chemistry teacher was nice enough to print me off a copy.
I had no idea that I had made it to the second team and what that means I also still don't know. I have heard that it may involve more money and a medal.

Future Wildcat!

Yeah!!

Another Invitation...Aren't I Popular?

We finally checked the mail today and I received another invite in regards to my scholarship, this time to the Board of Governors public meeting. Please see below:

Scholarship Invitation

Pima called a few days ago and asked me to drop by and pick up the invitation for the scholarship banquet in a few weeks. See below:

Consumer Letter

I read this and laughed out loud! I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.
CAUTION: Strong Language
Redistributed without permission, no infringement intended!

PC Magazine's 2007 editors' choice for best webmail-award-winning letter.

Sent to Proctor and Gamble regarding their feminine products.
She really gets rolling after the first paragraph...

Dear Mr. Thatcher,

I have been a loyal user of your 'Always' maxi pads for over 20 years and I
appreciate many of their features. Why, without the Leak Guard Core or
Dri-Weave absorbency, I'd probably never go horseback riding or salsa
dancing, and I'd certainly steer clear of running up and down the beach in
tight, white shorts.
But my favorite feature has to be your revolutionary Flexi-Wings. Kudos on
being the only company smart enough to realize how crucial it is that maxi
pads be aerodynamic. I can't tell you how safe and secure I feel each month
knowing there's a little F-16 in my pants. Have you ever had a menstrual
period, Mr. Thatcher? Ever suffered from 'the curse'? I'm guessing you
haven't. Well, my time of the month is starting right now. As I type, I can
already feel hormonal forces violently surging through my body. Just a few
minutes from now, my body will adjust and I'll be transformed into what my
husband likes to call 'an inbred hillbilly with knife skills.' Isn't the
human body amazing?

As Brand Manager in the Feminine-Hygiene Division, you've no doubt seen
quite a bit of research on what exactly happens during your customers
monthly visits from 'Aunt Flo'. Therefore, you must know about the bloating,
puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our intense mood swings,
crying, jags, and out-of-control behavior. You surely realize it's a tough
time for most women. In fact, only last week, my friend Jennifer fought the
violent urge to shove her boyfriend's testicles into a George Foreman Grill
just be cause he told her he thought Grey's Anatomy was written by drunken
chimps. Crazy!

The point is, sir, you of all people must realize that America is just
crawling with homicidal maniacs in Capri pants... Which brings me to the
reason for my letter. Last month, while in the throes of cramping so painful
I wanted to reach inside my body and yank out my uterus, I opened an Always
maxi-pad, and there, printed on the adhesive backing, were these words:
'Have a Happy Period.' Are you fu**ing kidding me? What I mean is, does any
part of your tiny middle-manager brain really think happiness - actual
smiling, laughing happiness, is possible during a menstrual period? Did
anything mentioned above sound the least bit pleasurable? Well, did it,
James?FYI, unless you're some kind of sick S&M freak girl, there will never
be anything 'happy' about a day in which you have to jack yourself up on
Motrin and Kahlua and lock yourself in your house just so you don't march
down to the local Walgreen's armed with a hunting rifle and a sketchy plan
to end your life in a blaze of glory.

For the love of God, pull your head out, man! If you just have to slap a
moronic message on a maxi pad, wouldn't it make more sense to say something
that's actually pertinent, like 'Put down the Hammer' or 'Vehicular
Manslaughter is Wrong', or are you just picking on us?

Sir, please inform your Accounting Department that, effective immediately,
there will be an $8 drop in monthly profits, for I have chosen to take my
maxi-pad business elsewhere. And though I will certainly miss your
Flex-Wings, I will not for one minute miss your brand of condescending bull
sh*t. And that's a promise I will keep.
Always!.

Best wishes,
Wendi Aarons
Austin , TX