A hat trick for Jillian

Regular readers know the pleasure I get in coaching soccer, watching the kids learn and excel, and then staying in touch with them as they move on. You also know about my fixation on infrastructure and the enjoyment I had running the region's water and sewer system. Well, now, the two arenas have melded.

When I ran the MWRA, we introduced a school education program to teach kids about the water and sewer system. Part of the program was an annual poster and writing contest. This year, with over 1,100 posters entered, one of my soccer alumnae, 8th grader Jillian Lu, won first place in the grade 6-8 category. But, she also won first place in this age group last year, and also the year before! (At the awards ceremony last week, there was some word that her competitors are pleased than she is moving on to a new age group.)

A full picture of Jillian's entry is above, and I also provide some closeups of details. I don't recall Jillian ever achieving a hat trick in a soccer match (although she had a great shot), but she deserves congratulations for accomplishing it in this venue.