oliviatamccue

Graduation marks the beginning of summer holiday for many 8^th graders. I did not have my own middle school graduation.  I did not remember any speeches in the middle school graduation of my daughter; attending my son’s at the same school, three years later, bring some moments back.

On a mild summer day, it has the same outdoor setting as before – a stage under a green tent on the school lawn, and the natural linings of tall trees in different shade of green at the back, coupled with the audio content from the band team of the 7th grader.  It is simple and beautiful.  I arrive half an hour early, and end up in the third last row of the seating area; it was a lesson learned to arrive early, yet it is still not enough. The ceremony begins officially with the students walking from the back to the front rows, in their dress code from formal suite to more casual pants, all respectful.  In an aisle seat, I have a close look of everyone, and the accompanying thrill that these hundreds of

students would shape our future.  A few graduate students deliver their speeches; I like how one student says that his generation needs to solve the problems created by this and past generations; and how another student shares his learning from the movie of Star War. Their air of confidence impresses the most.  Kids in United States are not seasoned with much hardship in their first many years, they have a rosy picture of what the future can offer them, and serve as reminders life is more worthwhile with passion, with contribution and with joy.  Certificate presentation came after the speeches.  Every audience waits for the few seconds of his/her loved one to walk up and down the stage.  Most families put their hands together for each student. It is a lengthy session with some intermittent shouts from the audience for their own favorite friends and families.  The principal concludes nicely with a short quote.

I always enjoy the present moments at the graduation, the emotions, and the refresher of the life journey from the eyes of the youth.  It would take another graduation to realize again that I don’t remember much of the speeches.

Posted in About Learning, Dear Diary