Bug, my almost-15yo son, goes to an international school here that tries to be like stateside schools so they have letters and letter jackets.
Bug may have lettered without noticing.
I vaguely remember this being important to people in the beforetimes.
He was showing me a pin that looks like what you get when you've lettered and letter again (I do not know how else to explain this - sorry to the non-Americans in the crowd) and he has an award for his algebra grade. I just...