Things are a lot different for kids these days compared to those of us who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s. But refreshingly, 4th Grade is still the year that elementary students learn about IDAHO and IDAHO HISTORY here in the Great Potato State!
I remember being overly enthusiastic about Idaho History when I was in 4th Grade. Ask me about the State Bird, and I wouldn’t just stop at Mountain Bluebird. I would also rattle off the State Flower, State Tree, State Horse, State Fossil, State Gemstone, and State Motto in rapid succession. (I did this for my daughter the other day too…every kid should think Dad is Superman, right?)
But I wasn’t just some precocious potato patriot. My primary motivation for excelling during the Idaho History curriculum was EARNING TRAPPER BUCKS. With each quiz, test, and assignment, we would earn Trapper Bucks that we could cash in at the end-of-year RENDEZVOUS.
What was this “rendezvous,” you ask? Well, I didn’t really know, but it was a magical French word that, in my mind, was somewhere between Pojos, Wahooz, and Disneyland. And I was under the impression that if I earned enough Trapper Bucks, I could basically relive the best of birthdays and Christmas while looting the Trading Post!
So after a year-long trek on the proverbial Oregon Trail of academic adventures, the day finally came for Rendezvous! I possessed an absurdly fat stack of Trapper Bucks, and we even got to ride a BUS to this legendary Trading Post, which turned out to be another elementary school. I leaped off the bus, ignored the school principals dressed like Lewis and Clark, and ran ahead of the other kids to a booth labeled, “Trading Post: Trapper Bucks Only!” This was my moment!
And then I realized that the Trading Post was filled with childish crafts constructed by other 4th Grade students. I was pretty sure I saw a crappy picture of Sacajawea drawn by my classmate Brooke up for sale in one corner. And the rest of the Trading Post was filled with popsicle sticks, dried glue, twisted pipe cleaners, and unraveling yarn. So much for knowing everything about Idaho.
I ended up giving all my Trapper Bucks away to a kid who had just moved in from another state. Enjoy your popsicle sticks and yarn, Declan!
Maybe the most valuable lesson I learned about Idaho History was that, in every era, disappointment is a part of life. But ultimately, although Rendezvous was a colossal letdown, the learning journey wasn’t a waste of time. Maybe the real lesson is that the process is where the real beauty lies. We build up the outcome in our minds, but it’s often anti-climactic. All those degrees on the wall? They’re worth about as much as a popsicle stick and some yarn.
But no one can take away the experiences, the people you meet along the way, and the joy in the journey. Trapper Bucks are going to burn, but good luck wiping the smile off my face when you ask me if I know the State Flower of Idaho. You’ll probably get me to tell this story along with your syringa😊
