Graduating Nephew

(This Posting was written on June 17th but I didn't have a network connection until today)

My baby sister’s youngest child graduated from High School Today.

Since my Mom and Dad’s plans were to be in Ridgecrest for my daughter’s Confirmation and then headed for Everett Washington for their grandson’s graduation, I continued those plans with my Dad.

Originally I had not intended to be in Washington this week. I don’t have enough vacation time coupled with a volleyball camp to run this weekend and my kids all have summer camps planned for last week and this next week. So we were just going to send our regards and a gift.

But here I am, in Everett and attending my youngest nephew’s graduation.

On Friday night they had a Jubilee Celebration. This is an optional ceremony that is intended to replace the old Baccalaureate Services that are no longer allowed because Christianity is banned in the Public School System in America.

The Jubilee was more like a regular graduation without a long drawn out boring main speaker and no diplomas. It was basically a chance to celebrate graduation, which is what I thought the graduation ceremony was supposed to be. However The Jubilee had one thing going for it. It was the only time that parents would be allowed to take pictures of their graduates in their caps and gowns on the stage with the flowers and banners and stuff.

The second highlight of the Jubilee was the keynote speaker. This teacher was described (twice) by student speakers as being “strict” and “stern”. His delivery for his speech was very strict and stern. He was also absolutely hilarious. In a droll deadpan kind of way this man proceeded to tell all the graduates that they had nothing to be celebrating. He was funny, engaging and absolutely correct. Everyone loved it. Both parents and graduates loved his speech.

Then on Saturday we had to go to the actual graduation ceremony. This was held downtown in a large events center that pretty much guaranteed that no one would be able to sit close enough to the stage to see or get good pictures of their graduate.

The Ceremony wasn’t too boring there was no keynote speaker. Most of the speakers were students who were pleasantly witty and engaging. Then they read the names, the graduates trooped across the stage, the audience clapped and cheered and everyone went home.