I worked my tail off to earn the Participation silver award at my school in grade 9.
The program still exists in some form but I seem to remember a lot of TV spots when I was a kid. We all had to do it and there was no way I could have got gold but I remember my classmates and I were generally of the opinion that bronze level was pathetic. Even non-athletic. non-competitive types like us were caught up in the whole program.
Years later I remember getting a peculiarly Canadian giggle when I read The Handmaid's Tale and one of the scenes in the book was a Particicution. I am sure it took a footnote for non-Canadians to understand what Atwood meant but I pictured all the participants in running shoes and getting a badge like the one above immediately.
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