Yesterday Mr. B and I went to Miss M's high school for a meeting with one of the Assistant Principals...not to worry Miss M was not in trouble we just wanted some clarification on "a thing". Upon arriving at one of the many parking lots of her school we saw the risers (you know the portable bleachers) and a sea of black gowns and mortarboard hats! We looked at each other...realizing that this was a photo op for the high school and this years seniors.
Okay this parking lot and the entrance door to the school were realistically not available...but there are 3 more parking lots to go to. We drove around to another parking lot...the seniors were exiting the school and this parking lot (being the student body parking lot) was BUSY!
We waited as the seniors made their way to their vehicles...graduation gowns flowing in the wind, hats in hand and the smiles from ear to ear on each and every senior's face....
Mr. B and I looked at each other and smiled...we each were remembering this most special of life markers...that glorious threshold of passing out of one realm of education and their march towards all the other thresholds now available to these seniors!
We parked, walked into the school and immediately saw our Assistant Principal...we saw him before he saw us...he was standing in the hallway, beaming...you could see the pride on his face...yes he's made this journey many times before but upon getting closer to him...you could see the emotion on his face. We apologized for disturbing this special moment in time...he being the professional that he is assured us that Miss M's moment was equally as important...
Our meeting was brief and went well...but as we left the building...I paid more attention to the atmosphere...the faculty and staff were filled with pride and yes there was that special emotion on their faces defining their professional and personal investment in each and every student.
This year's seniors were beginning their walk towards new vistas and underclass persons were watching not only the seniors but the faculty and staff...the opportunity to view this shared experience was a gift!
Congratulations to the 2010 seniors and THANK YOU to every faculty and staff person who have contributed to their lives!
What a lovely post, Sandy! You described it so beautifully...
ReplyDeleteHope you're having a lovely day!
Julie
What a treat for you to get in on the "action" so to speak with this years batch of HS Seniors. What fun to watch I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteI graduated in January of '57.... you read right !
..we had two graduating classes a year in our HUGE HS in Chicago...and I remember walking up the isle afterwards handing my father my diploma..and saying "there you go" that's what you wanted to see. " ! I was just so happy to be "out of school" finally. And looking forward to being able to earn a FULL TIME living of some sort..it was so much easier "back in the day" to get a somewhat decent job with only a HS education. I landed a job the following week.. with the Gillette Razor Corp.( who at that time owned PaperMate Pens and The Toni Home Permanent Co....) I was elated and so were my parents.
Rose