Eighth Grade Banquet

First event in our end of the year celebrations was the Grade 8 Banquet- a chance to celebrate the end of middle school before the students transition to high school next year. The banquet was held at a nice restaurant and was followed the next day by a class trip for a couple nights to a beach about 6 hours away. First the banquet:

Me with one of the few girls in the eighth grade class.

Here is me with all of the girls in the eighth grade. Yes, out of 22 students only 4 of them are girls.

Me with Paivi, our music teacher. Her and her family are from Finland and are leaving us this year to move to New York. She was a good friend and I will miss her.

Class photo.

A goofy one.

Throughout the night each set of parents got a chance to get up and share something for their student. I love this picture because it so embodies middle school. Here Aaron's parents give him a giant huge while he resists it with everything in him. I love middle schoolers!

At the end of the night the whole class got up and performed a few songs for us. Some students played instruments while others sang. They did a great job and are a very talented group.

Then the next day we set off for the beach. After a long bus ride, through mountainous, curvy roads we arrive. (I would love to say without incident but one of our students got sick along the way and threw up all over himself, his seat, and the floor.)

The kids jumped in the water and played and played all day long.

Here me and Karen, two of the five chaperones for the weekend, watch the students play in the water.

The waves were huge. I do believe some of the students in this picture are running away from the water because of it. They were some of the biggest, roughest waves I have ever been in.

The kids went back and forth from the pool to the ocean all day long. I loved watching them enjoy themselves and play together.

I love this picture. It fully represents eighth grade boys and reminds me why I love middle school.

Emma was the only eighth grade girl who chose to come on the trip. So her and I roomed together and spent a lot of time together. It was fun. I am glad we at least had each other. :)

And we all returned home exhausted from the fun.

On the way back our bus broke down three times and I was worried we might not make it. But we did- all accounted for and all in one piece.