Awards

The New York State Comptroller's Award for Academic Excellence and Civic Commitment at my graduation from Montebello Elementary School, June 2010.

Sam's Report Card from Mike Atkin on Vimeo.

My research partner, Jason Dunn and I won Fifth Grade Engineering countywide at the 2010 Rockland County Science, Invention and Technology Fair. Here is a video that my Dad shot while we built and tested our Hot Air Solar Panels. 

Hot Air Solar Panels from Mike Atkin on Vimeo.

I was the First Place winner in a regional NY/NJ Elks Club runoff for the national "The American Dream: What Is It?" essay contest. Mr. Kidd said they judged over 2,000 essays. My part comes up in this video at the 2:15 mark if you need to fast forward the scroll bar...

I'm really proud to be a martial artist training at the DAS Academy in Suffern, NY. My Shihan is Mark Morisi and my Kyoshi is Nathan Ingram. The last belt awarded to me was the purple. I have video of the ceremony but I would rather show you a kata.  This is the fourth kata.  I have a video of the fifth kata too but a black belt in the front row clogged up my shot.  I'm going to shoot it again sometime and post that too.

The first big thing that happened for me this year was taking First Place in my school for National Geographic Magazine's Geography Bee.  My cue is at the 40 second mark in this video...

One morning, I just walked in and there was a poster about me in the office window.  Fortunately, it didn't include the words dead or alive.  I hate when that happens.