Prize Giving

The end of the school year here is filled with classroom parties and end of the year festivities - the same as at home. Excitement is in the air with the anticipation of Christmas and 6 weeks off of school. An event my kids had not yet experienced, although I remember it in the school I attended as a kid, is end of the year Prize Giving.
Prize Giving ceremonies are a very big deal in this little town. Each school has several. You start with the "Sr. prize giving" for the upper grade levels. Then there is the "minor prize giving" ceremony for all the 2nd place winners and then the "Major prize giving" ceremony which you are invited to attend if your child is receiving a prize. The ceremony includes music performances with an emphasis on the Maori pieces. Prizes are given for everything: Sports, music, art, Maori, social skills and academics (there is a feeling that no one should be left out of receiving a prize). The student is awarded a trophy which will stay at the school and their name will be engraved on it along with all those before them.
I was happy that each of the kids received a prize: Damon - math; Maddie - best academics in classroom ; and Elena - gymnastics.
The Jr. prize giving ceremony ended with a speech by the Dux (pronounced "ducks"). The Dux would be our equivalent of a Valedictorian. The word "dux" is the Latin root for the word duke. It means the highest warrior and today is the top academic student. The Dux wore a Maori warrior's cape of feathers called a Korowai and gave a traditional, inspiring speech.
I have mixed feelings about the prize giving ceremonies. I see the benefit in awarding a child for excellence and giving them something to strive for. On the other hand I could see that the same kids win the same awards each year, leaving the rest to wonder what the point of working hard is.