A thread for Graduation stories/reports:

[Dennis S]

Barb & I just got back from the graduation ceremony and some subsequent parties. After the ceremony at the school, we took advantage of an invitation to a graduation party on the Pueblo. The food was wonderful, and a special treat because it is far removed from the normal "party food" routine. And, I managed to get through a meal without accidentally biting into the super-red hot chili that is popular on the Pueblo, but beyond the pain tolerance for a white boy raised in Minnesota. (I did get a little teasing as my friends watched me carefully consider each dish that was passed around).

After dinner we were looking at a card table in the corner which had the graduate's various honors laid out for display. In the middle of the display was his new, hard earned, high school diploma. It tooka moment to realize that the signature on his diploma was....mine, as school board president. So far it has been a great day, and there are still two parties to fit in before this evening.

 

[geebee]

You must be so very proud to play such an integral part in the lives of these folks. Now you will forever be documented as a participant in the acheivement of this lad. How cool is that?

I have no friends or family members graduating but I did notice something when I got home from the grocery store this afternoon. My neighbor has a huge sign in the yard announcing the graduation of their son from the local high school (which is just down the street). Their pride is pretty neat to notice and I feel like I have sort of a part in this just because I am a neighbor. They were out in the yard and I yelled congratulations across the street and they were just beaming.

 

[Granbonny]

I know you are proud, Dennis..Many years ago when I was President of our Middle School..PTA..I arranged for the parents to all bring a covered dish..For after the ceremony....We purchased a huge cake....The kids really enjoyed it...Later, a teacher thanked me..she said, this would be the only Graduationfor many of these students..A big dropout after the age of 16..That was 25 years ago and sad..but I think kids are still dropping out..I was looking at my Grandson's school webpage..and saw....stats..from 9th-12th grade..It dropped at least 100 per year after the 10th grade..... ..His is a small high school..so no telling what in the larger cities....(dropout rate).....On a happier note..My age 5 year old Grandson (adopted from Russia 2 years ago)is graduating from Pre-K this coming Thursday night.. He spoke no English when he came home to us..Now, a gifted child..Knows it all .....Daughter spent the first year..reading book after book to him..Now, he would rather have a book than a toy..............Bonnie.

 

[Mary]

Our next door neighbors' daughter graduated from college today. They've got alot of family in, so we sent over a bottle of champagne . . . I figure someone will drink the bubbly on a night like this!

 

[JimL]

For the college graduation I just returned from, we followed a long-standing tradition: the parents of the graduates get poolside rooms at the local Holiday Inn, and all throw parties at the same time on Friday night. People circulate around from one room to the next. Graduation on Saturday morning, then lunch at a local establishment.

 

[weekycat]

We have quite a few in the family this year!

We have quite a few in the family this year!

I have 3 nephews, 1 niece and 2 great-nephews graduating! All from different High Schools. Well...too of the nephews are graduating from Apollo HS, but one of them is in St. Cloud, MN and one is in Glendale, AZ.

Two of these young men are joining the Army National Guard and will leave soon after their grad parties for Basic Training...and then I'm guessing they'll head to Iraq. Having had a daughter and a niece survive their tours of duty over there, it worries me to see the boys going, I suspect they'll be in more dangerous situations than the girls were. I am proud of them though...I just wish they'd get all of our kids back home where they belong.

 

[Phyllis]

We've had the joy of attending many graduations for our son and daughter, but the one I will always remember the most is when our daughter received her PhD and Dick broke down and cried with the emotion of it all. It was a truly touching moment.