Were You an Outstanding High School Student of America?

Here's a total Throwback Thursday memory for you.  My mom and I were at my granddad's the other day and we came across this letter.  He saved it from thirty some years ago.  It was from Outstanding High School Students of America and it was sent to let me know that I had been "selected as a new member because of outstanding merit and accomplishment as an American high school student."

Okay, this is hilarious!  First of all, didn't just about everybody get one of these??   But can we take a minute and just appreciate that they made the designation as an "American" high school student???  Um, you sent the invitation to an address in Philpot, Kentucky.  Was there a chance that I was in the running for Outstanding High School Students of Syria?  Or Outstanding High School Students of Madagascar?

Until I saw this letter, I had completely forgotten about what a complete racket this was.  LOL!  I remember when I made the book Who's Who Among American High School Students.  I actually I had to BUY the book Who's Who Among American High School Students!  Were my academic achievements not enough to earn me a complimentary copy.  And, no!  You can't judge me. I bought one. Or my parents did. I remember being pumped when it arrived in the mail.  Well, I was pumped until I opened it up and realized that the Who's Who contained the names of about five million other high school students.

And look at this!

GEEZ!!!  Talk about expensive!!  Remember, this was back in the late 80s.  My vast list of high school achievements earned me a FREE key chain.  Whoop-de-do!  That would have impressed everyone sporting the keys to my Mercury Topaz.  However, if I wanted a copy of the OHSA Directory (their version of the Who's Who book) it would have cost me $36.95 and to see my name in print!  A OHSA Certificate of Achievement, which would have cost them about fifteen cents to make, would have cost me $22.95.  Of course, I guess I could have opted for the package deal for $74.95.  At a savings of $26.90 I could have gotten the Scholarship Research Program (whatever that is), the directory AND a wall plaque.  Oops, and I almost forgot, I would have had that rocking key chain too.

Oh wait!  This just got even more opportunistic.  I just noticed they completely targeted my grandparents and sent this to them.  There's a section of the letter that says "We hope these special articles will help you gain full appreciation of your grandchild's induction into OHSA- a true mark of distinction."  LOL!  Well, I'm guessing since this letter was stuffed in a drawer, they didn't fall for it.  Apparently, they were pretty smart too.  I guess at one time Russ and Catherine were Outstanding High School Students of America like their grandson.