You must permit a proud Father his moment of reflected glory. Last night at the Parsippany High School Football banquet, Joe won the most improved Freshman player award. This is no small thing. It is the award the coaches value most. Three boys were given it this year. There was no MVP award.

No one knew who would win the Freshman award, but as the coach described what this player had done to deserve the award, the players quietly began to whisper Joe's name among themselves while the reality dawned on speechless, embarrassed Joe. The coaches were all nodding their heads and grinning in affirmation of everything that Joe had achieved during the year, and the team heartily applauded and congratulated Joe as he went up to the podium to receive his award. It was awesome. I'm sure Joe will never forget that night.

Melanie and I are deeply thankful for everything God has done in Joe's life. In 6th grade at the Christian school in Nutley, he was personally devastated by rascism, hypocricy and violence, all while the clueless asst. principal tried to brow beat him into taking the blame, essentially for being a white kid. This was a confusing and very painful time for Joe and for us. We eventually took him out of there before finishing school, feeling that his very identity was at risk. The aforementioned asst. principal informed us of his belief that Joe's troubles will follow him into the evil public school. I nearly slugged him. What we had hoped to avoid from the urban NJ public schools ( fights, youth-race gangs, and bad academics ) Joe endured in the Christian school, What we hoped to experience in the Christian school ( personal safety, mentoring and high academics ) we have discovered aplenty in the public school. I cannot say how proud and thankful I am.