Awana Grand Prix

You may remember that this is Gracie's first year in Awana. She is in the Cubbies program, which is designed for the four and five-year-olds. Every year Awana has a Grand Prix. It's similar to the Boy Scout Grand Prix and has three categories. There's the Sparks (elem), TNT (MS), and Open (anyone, even adults). Cubbies were welcome to participate in the Open category so I got Gracie a kit and asked her what kind of car she'd like to make. She started out with lots of silly answers and eventually got down to wanting a superhero car. She decided since Falcon is her current favorite superhero it should be a Falcon car. We looked up pictures of Falcon and I used the shape on his head piece for the front of the car, and had it get larger as it went farther back on the body of the car. I haven't made one of these since sixth grade, and I remember being disappointed in how mine fared in the race (although, ours had cartridges in the back to propel them, this was just a hill) I figured this was our first time racing, and we were just in it for fun. Gracie approved the design and she and Daddy went to the open workshop the church set up for those of us that don't have any wood working tools. 

They came back with it mostly done, and I got out my Dremel to finish it up. At this point we realized that we only had one of Falcon's wings, (from Gracie's massive superhero action figure collection) which we were planning on putting on the sides of the car to make it authentic. A little change of plans, and we used Archangel's wings instead. The morning of the race, we still hadn't painted it, so I got up early and did a base coat of white over all of it. I woke Gracie up, fed her, and dressed her and had her paint a second layer of paint over the white spots, and add yellow where it belonged. We brought a wet car to the church in the nick of time to register it into the race. 

Waiting to register and weigh her car.

My Archangel car!

As we registered the car, we were asked what category we'd like it to be judged in; Evangelical design, vehicle design, or non-vehicle design. We chose Evangelical, since it is Archangel.

Registered cars, waiting to race.

Unfortunately, they started the race with the Sparks. It took so long, when they were done with Sparks they had a 15 minute break for lunch! I was hopeful we'd be next. No luck. TNT was second. I took the younger two kids into one of the nursery rooms to play while Daddy and Gracie kept watching the races. A while later Daddy came in and said it's been enough, Gracie was out of control and we had to go home. As we were leaving I heard them announce the Open category of races. I was really bummed. A while later I got a text that Gracie's car had won best Evangelical design. I wish we had been there to see her face as she got announced! 

The next day we went to church and I looked everywhere for her car. We had told a friend who volunteers with Awana that we had to leave and I was hoping that he grabbed the car or put it in the office for us. No luck. I work with his wife, so I thought maybe it'd show up at work. No luck. Tuesday I went into my second school and there it was, sitting on my desk. One of my students grabbed it for us! I was so touched, I truly have the most thoughtful students! 

Bee really wanted to be in this shot. 

Gracie got a participation ribbon and a medal for winning best Evangelical design. I am most proud that it was her idea, her painting, and even her idea to add the action figure's wings. I'm sure people are thinking "her mom's an art teacher, of course she won," but this was as much her as it could be. It's not like we'll let a four year old run a wood cutting tool!

I won!