This post wraps up my graduation season.  I was going to cover one more, but my son had a baseball game and I went to that instead. 

Thankfully the crowd at my last graduation was much better behaved than the crowd prior.

There were no inappropriate remarks, no inappropriate chants and only an occasional cell phone conversation.

The weather was beautiful.  Just under 200 students graduated.  There were five speeches and a moment of silence for a deceased classmate.

My favorite quote was spoken by the high school principal.

Tonight's activities were already scheduled to be indoors and that's a good thing because rain began falling about 45 minutes before the commencement was to begin.

Approximately 190 students graduated.  There were six speeches including the valedictorian, the salutatorian, the class president, the board president, the principal and the superintendent.

While the students were very well behaved, the audience took on a life of their own.  Because of this, I posted on my facebook some basic commencent behaviors that I will now share with you.

Screaming way to go dumbass...not appropriate.

Holding a sign that says congratu F'in Lations ... not appropriate.

Wearing your pajamas...not appropriate

Blowing an airhorn indoors (or outdoors)...not appropriate.

Wearing your beard in a braid...not appropriate.

Wearing anything that shows off your ass crack...not appropriate.

And last but not least...referring to anyone with a doctorate in education as a fucking moron...not, at all, appropriate.

While I received my long awaited Dr. Seuss quote from the class president...

Tonight marked the second of my handful of graduations.  It was outside and chilly.  Almost felt like a fall football game.

Many of you commented that the six speeches that I heard on Friday seemed excessive.  Tonight's graduation had seven.  This class consisted of approximately 230 students.

The speeches had a common theme and weren't excessively long.  Suprisingly, the salutatorian didn't speak.  The Valedictorian did as did the three other students who auditioned for the part.

The principal's speech was very moving by difficult to quote as he had many personal memories of the class that started at the high school the same year he did. 

My favorite quote was spoken by the valedictorian who encouraged her classmates to step up onto the next rung of the ladder, to climb slowly, to comprehend deeply and to enjoy thoroughly. 

Are you enjoying life throughly???

Friday was the start of my graduation season.  If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you probably already know that I love graduation.  I usually cover at least a handful of them for the paper. 

Friday was the first of many and under the threat of severe thunderstroms and a tornado warning, I watched as nearly 400 young adults received their diplomas. 

There were six speeches, some better than others.  Students were encourages to be a linchpin--to be indispensible.

Student speakers spoke of dreams and the future.  There were quotes from Eleanor Roosevelt, from Seth Godin, even Walt Disney.  Sadly, no one quoted Dr. Seuss (a favorite of mine)

My favorite quote of the evening was spoken by the valedictorian and was a quote from Dumbledore, the headmaster of Harry Potter fame.  This years graduating class grew up with the Harry Potter stories.  Most seniors were born in 1995.

Graduation season, for me, is officially over.  My last graduation was Friday.  Although, I attended five, sadly no one provided any Dr. Seuss wisdom.


On Friday, even though the weather was perfect, graduation was held indoors.  Apparently, since the gymnasium is air conditioned it will always be indoors.  I'm not sure why, as graduation is so much better outside.


I saw just under 200 students receive their diploma, listened to five speeches and pondered why no on in the administration was wearing a cap or a gown.  Usually this is traditional attire.  Especially for those who have reached the level of Doctorate of Education. 

This graduation season I saw nearly 1400 students receive their diploma, listened to more than 30 speeches, saw grandmothers cry,  heard bull horns blow, watched moms lovingly attach mortarboards, and saw dads waver between manly handshakes or big boisterous hugs.

My favorite quote from the last graduation I attended was spoken by the high school principal and was also the class motto.  I think it is a fitting ending to my graduation posts.

There was a threat of rain today and I was concerned that commencement might be forced indoors.  So I was delighted when the threat passed and I was again able to attend an outside graduation.

Outside graduations are the best.

I saw just over 200 students graduate, listened to 7 speeches and took this awesome picture of the kids tossing their caps. 

My favorite quote of the evening was spoken by the superintendent and I think you will be able to figure out why.  It's not Dr. Seuss, but it's close.

Tonight's graduation was beautiful and sad all at the same time.  The seniors lost one of their own less than one month ago in a motorcylce accident.  His chair remained empty as a reminder to all those in attendance that life holds no guarantees. 

That life is unpredictable.

His diploma was the first awarded and it was accepted by his parents.  Eleven white doves where released and they circled the stadium quite a few times before they departed.  Almost as if they were saying, "I don't want to go, but I can no longer stay."

The ceremony awarded 210 diplomas and provided six speeches to gather quotes from.  My favorite quote was spoken by the valedictorian as she remembered the classmate that died all too soon.

Last night was a great night to open the graduation season for me.  The sky was clear, there was a light breeze in the air and the excitement was electric.


There is nothing quite like a graduation.  Proud parents all around, grandparents with tears in their eyes, small children begging older siblings for a chance to wear their "cool hat".

Last night I watched as 388 young adults reached a major milestone in their life.  I witnessed numerous hugs, a few tears, and tons of laughter.

I listened to 9 speeches (overkill) as well as one of my favorite songs from the musical Wicked "For Good".

My favorite quote from the evening was spoken with great enthusiasm but the co-president of the class.

Sadly graduation season came to a close Friday night. I covered four this year, which I suppose was about average for me though I like to cover at least five. This year I couldn't because so many of them were on the same night.

My favorite quote from yesterday evening?

Said by the valedictorian, "Someday your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching."

Of course I would be remiss if I didn't include this one as well. Said by the superintendent, who was quoting Arie Pencovici, "Graduation is only a concept. In real life every day you graduate. Graduation is a process that goes on until the last day of your life. If you can grasp that, you'll make a difference."

This year I saw just under 1000 students graduate. I heard approximately 15 speeches by either students, faculty, or administrators as well as quite a few reverends.

It's been 20 years since my high school graduation and the older I get the more I am convinced that time really does fly.

The question I will leave you with is the one posed by the valedictorian...is the movie of your life worth watching? And who is playing the part of you?

Yesterday's graduation was forced indoors because of the weather. We have been having some wicked storms and I don't think the decision to move inside was a shock to anyone.

I'm happy to report that I not only got a Dr. Seuss quote, I practically got a Dr. Seuss speech. A student speaker sprinkled some of his most famous quotes sporadically throughout her entire speech.

Quite frankly this made up for the other two graduations where Seuss wisdom was lacking.

My favorite?

"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You"


Of course, it wouldn't be graduation season if someone didn't quote Henry Thoreau--too wonderful not to mention.

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined."


So I ask you my blogger buddies...are you authentic? Are you truer than true. Are you living the life which you have imagined?

I was certain that tonight's graduation would be rained out and forced into a tight sweaty gymnasium, but alas the administration decided to risk it all and hold it at the stadium.

As you know I love graduations, but I love them even more when they are outside on a beautiful evening.

That being said, tonight wasn't all that beautiful.

The sky was dark.

There was thunder rumbling in the distance.

As the 279 graduates marched out to that all too familiar tune of Pomp and Circumstance many of them lost their mortarboards.

I kept my fingers crossed for them that they would get through the entire commencement with no rain. By the time they started to announce the graduates, this seemed more and more unlikely.

So unlikely, in fact, that I headed toward the exit when they reached students with the last name beginning with H. I usually stay until the mortarboards fly, but I really didn't want to get wet and I really didn't want everything I'd written to get wet.

My favorite quote of the evening? Originally spoken by Louis Pasteur, and said by the salutatorian:

“Whether our efforts are, or not, favored by life, let us be able to say, when we come near the great goal, I have done what I could.”

So have you done what you could?

It's official, graduation season is over.  I went to my last one last night and amazingly it was outside.  They are so much nicer outside.

I was pulling for a Dr. Suess quote and I'm happy to say that my wish was granted.  A school board member, whose daughter was among the gradutes read from "Oh! The Places You Will Go!"

"Kids, you’ll move mountains. So be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So get on your way.”

Totalling up the five graduations I attended I saw 1376 kids graduate.  I heard 17 student speakers and 12 administrators ponder advice for the future.  I watched silly string fly, beach balls get confiscated and heard approximately 500 airhorns blow in support of loved ones. 

Don't tell anyone, but I'm sort of gonna miss it, but there is always next year.  Congratulations to all of this year's Class of 2009!

Last night's graduation was kind of lengthy and I didn't have the opportunity to post my favorite quote when I got home.

This was my fourth graduation and I have to say that I was really hoping for a Dr. Sues quote as I haven't had any this year and that is so disappointing. There is always tonight as I have one more to cover. Cross your fingers!

Last night the superintendent encouraged students to embrace their life and to not let their past define them. Ahhh, if only that were as easy to do as it is to say.

She then said this quote, which has been attributed to numerous people throughout the ages, so for this post I'm going to call the author unknown.

"Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt and dance like no one is watching."

Finally, a quote I can live by...

I again spent another rainy evening crammed into a gymnasium listening to young adults talk about all the hard work they have endure. Seriously??? Isn't that cute?

My favorite quote of the evening is attributed to the Valedictorian who had the balls to quote Barack Obama. Around here, that will garner loud, boisterous cheers, as well as some boos.

Whatever your political beliefs, you have to admit there is a lot of truth in this quote.

"Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential."

Have you realized your true potential?

I, again, covered a graduation for the paper tonight and in keeping with my newly started tradition I am posting my favorite quote of the evening.

This one said by the class vice president, a quote from American writer, Richard Bach.

"Don't be dismayed at saying goodbye for a farewell is necessary before you can meet again and meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends."

There is a lot of truth in those few words.

As I mentioned a few post back, for my job, I get to cover quite a few graduations this time of year.  Last night was the first of the season and I decided to post my favorite quote of the evening.

The superintendent quoted President Woodrow Wilson:



So I ask you...are you making a living or are you enriching the world?