Contents
Awards
Overview
At graduation, multiple students receive academic and extracurricular medals, including Summer and Amos. Mr. Tushman closes with the Henry Ward Beecher medal, honoring character and courage, and awards it to August.
This public recognition cements August’s transformation from outsider to celebrated member of the community.
Summary
During the graduation ceremony, August Pullman drifts in and out of attention until Ms. Rubin announces the High Honor Roll. Hearing his name, August stands, bows with the group, and scans the crowd for his parents, imagining his mother waving.
Mr. Tushman then awards academic medals: Ximena Chin receives the gold for overall academic excellence, Charlotte the silver and a gold for music, Amos the sports medal, and Summer the gold for creative writing. August cheers loudly for Summer, proud of his friends’ achievements.
For the final honor, the Henry Ward Beecher medal, August assumes Charlotte might win due to her service work and begins to tune out. Mr. Tushman reflects emotionally on courage, kindness, friendship, and character, quoting Beecher on true greatness as lifting others’ hearts.
Mr. Tushman announces that the student whose quiet strength has lifted the most hearts is August Pullman. August is called to the stage to receive the Henry Ward Beecher medal, a public recognition of his impact on the school community.
Who Appears
- August "Auggie" PullmanNarrator; makes High Honor Roll and is awarded the Henry Ward Beecher medal.
- Mr. TushmanHead of school; gives emotional speech on character and awards Auggie the Beecher medal.
- Summer DawsonFriend of Auggie; wins the gold medal in creative writing.
- Amos ContiAlly from the retreat; wins overall excellence in sports.
- Charlotte CodyClassmate; wins silver for overall academics and gold in music.
- Ximena ChinClassmate; wins gold medal for overall academic excellence.
- Ms. RubinTeacher; reads the High Honor Roll names, including Auggie’s.