This week, we’ve got assignments piling up for award winning teams and kids.

There are Boy Scout Heroes, talent show winners, skilled speech and debate teams and scores of successful student scientists.  It’s great to show off the hard work of Lodi’s youth.

But some celebrations are a little different. Did you know kids can earn medals for good grades?

Several schools are hosting rallies to celebrate improved API testing scores. They cheer for students who brought up their scores from last year, but they also root for the whole school when the total API makes a jump.

Not-so-secretly, the rallies are also a good way to bump up student energy before this year’s test. California requires a score of 800 or better, so it's pretty important to the school. 

It’s great to cheer on these accomplishments.

Not everyone can play on a champion sports team or go to state for Science Olympiad.

But any student can succeed in the state testing. All it takes is a little improvement over last year’s score. Studying hard, taking the questions at an easy pace, and going in with a relaxed mindset can achieve that goal. A good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast help, too.

So this year, put your best foot forward on those tests. I know they can be boring, but they're pretty important to your school. Do well this year, and be rewarded next spring.

I love to see any kid with a big smile on his or her face. I like it even better knowing it came from their own hard work at school.