Hard work pays off... literally.

Finals week actually went really well this semester. I did well on all my tests, and got especially lucky when it came to my health programs class. Here's the story...

For this particular class our final was an essay test. We had to answer different questions on how we would identify children at risk in our class, and as a teacher what would we do to help them. We get to class on the final day and we get into our groups of 4-5 people.  Then as a group we have to look through 5 of our classmates papers and rank them from best to worse. We had no idea why we were doing this, but we just went with it. The papers didn't have names on them either they were coded like A1, A2... so we had no idea whose we were grading.

So after each group had finished ranking their papers we all gathered back together.  Our teacher (Marie... favorite teacher ever!) tells us that she wants each group to yell out who they chose.  So she asks for the best paper in the "A" group, someone shouts out A1.  Marie looks at her code and says , "Kayla Thompson." I was elated that I was picked, and was then told to stand up at the front of the class while the other four groups announced their top picks.  There were five of us at the end standing in front of the classroom.  Marie hands us each an envelope.  We open it and much to our surprise each envelope contained $20.00!! I couldn't believe it! I was so happy and excited about being payed for my final haha.  

But the fun had just begun... she then gave us further instructions.  The top five would be individually interviewed in front of the whole entire class.  Then the class would decide whose interview was the best and who they wanted to "hire".  I was so nervous and scared I almost was tempted to give back my twenty dollars to get out of this dreaded interview in front of my peers.  One by one we each went in and got interviewed by our class.  It was pretty intimidating sitting in front of your peers, while they ask and judge your response.  I was shaking so bad! Marie even said she thought I was going to pass out haha... it was pretty rough.  I thought I had done okay with my interview, but mainly I was just relieved that it was over. 

After all five of us had gone in, we got called back into the class.  Marie stood in front of the class with one envelope. We had no idea what to expect.  Then she said, "Kayla you're hired." I just sat there... pretty confused haha. I went up to the front of the classroom again and accepted another envelope. I really had no idea what to expect from this envelope, so I opened it and found...

Yes, thats right in this one envelope there was $100.00!!!! I was completely in shocked, I even started to tear up haha ridiculous I know. I was so grateful and hugged and thanked Marie over and over again.  She said that this activity was to show that hard work does pay off.  I don't think I could have learned this lesson any better way.  Not only did I get a 100% on my final, I walked away $120.00 richer... best final EVER.