I don't win many awards. Hardly any, in fact. So it was a big surprise when I won the Program Guide Cover Contest for DECA's NY Conference in high school for a second year in a row.

The main speaker was pretty surprised too, apparently. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

DECA is, according to their website: "an international association of high school and college students studying marketing, management and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality and marketing sales and service."

My high school had a chapter and one of my teachers encouraged me to join. It was her who suggested I enter the Program Guide Cover Contest as well.

The first year, I drew the NY state flag. It was pretty awesome, if I say so myself.

At the conference, the speaker brought me onto the stage and presented me with a $100 check. For a high school student, that's a lot of money. I brought a ton of comic books and candy with that money.

Our high school also won another award that year. So that, plus my Cover Contest award, meant we had one kick-ass high school. Our school was mighty proud.

The next year, I won again with a drawing of the Statue of Liberty. Another awesome drawing, I humbly admit.

The speaker rattled off the winners of the various contests. When he got to the Program Guide Cover Contest, my classmates howled before he even said my name. They continued to cheer as I walked onto the stage.

Then I noticed something wrong.

The speaker wasn't looking at me. His arm wasn't extended like it was last year. I didn't see a check in his hand. But I know he announced my name; my whole table heard him.

I walked over to him anyways, thinking perhaps the check was in his pocket or something.

The room fell silent. The speaker stood there for a few moments, eyes glazed. He silently shook my hand. I said, "Thank you," though I'm not sure why. Then I retreated off the stage.

Back at my table, my classmates were still howling. Only this time, they weren't cheering, they were laughing.

I think it was Dave who was the first to say, "Mike, I don't think you were supposed to go up there this year!"

They realized this when I was halfway to the stage. The speaker continued rattling off contest winners without pause. My classmates shouted at me to return, but by that time, I was on autopilot.

When I got on the stage, the speaker had no clue who I was. I'm surprised he even shook my hand. I wonder what he was thinking when this random Chinese kid walked onto the stage with him and shook his hand.

And after that, I never entered any more DECA Program Guide Cover Contests.

. . .

Have you ever won any awards?