Today I witnessed a ceremony that was unheard of when I was in elementary school, my son walked across the stage today at Roy Clark Elementary School and accepted a certificate much like he will seven years from now when he graduates from Union High School in 2018.
It had all the trappings of a commencement ceremony...they had a pre-ceremony slide show that had all the kids mug shots, they played "Pomp and Circumstance" as the kids walked in processional and they had a guest speaker from the Rotary Club give a speech, along with his principal.
The only thing that was missing was the caps and gowns. It was awesome.
My son has had his share of challenges in his short life. He is one of the millions of kids in this country who has autism and crossing the threshhold to middle school (it was called Junior High in my day, but I'll go with it), it certainly a milestone. As I sat there and watched the ceremony I couldn't help but flash back to that May afternoon in 1979 when I moved from 5th grade into 6th grade. It was less significant for me because 6th grade was still at the elementary school level back then and our ceremony was the acheivement awards...spelling aces, math whizzes (chuckle), and those with perfect attendance.
For an 11 year old kid faced with the impending summer of swimming at the pool, playing with my friends and the other joys of summer it was the most excruciating 26 minutes of my life. Today I didn't get that sense. Mainly because today Sean got to share it with his mother and I. Thinking back I would have loved to have had my mother and father see my awards ceremonies. Not that I won many awards in my elementary years, it would have been nice to have had them there.
I guess that's how things have progressed in the 30 or so years since I left elementary school. Back then, our parents generation had control of the educational system and the by product of that was that it mirrored their educational experience which was a meat grinder. It chewed you up and spit you out. You were left to sink or swim. It left me with a great sense of relief that Sean wouldn't have that moving forward.
So now I have a junior high...errr...middle schooler. Feels pretty good and it makes me so very proud of him.
Congrats Sean, you earned this one.
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