This past weekend's graduation was a huge walk down memory lane for my extended family, as it was the first graduation from the high school we had all attended a few *grin* years ago. The class of 2005 was 350 strong. That's a lot of graduates, but the big baby-boom classes ran in the 600's. (Mine was 642.)
There are three public high schools in town. To provide a consistent venue for the graduations, the second Saturday in June each school holds their ceremonies at the Breslin Center, at Michigan State University. (The home of the green guys basketball team.) At 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 6 p.m. graduates and their families gather. We were the morning crew, and there was no lingering, as the building had to be cleared for the next band of caped crusaders.
Aside: While typing this I wanted to look up some zip code demographics. This site has an interesting way of analyzing zip code areas. I did 48910 and 48911.
The featured speaker at commencement was our United States Senator. Her first job after graduating college was at the High School, so she had a definite link there. She also had two young relatives in the ceremony, so that was neat. (The big-screen TVs did help to highlight the activities on the platform, but there is some distortion.)
It's funny how in that big throng of like-clad kids each family can find their own.
The ceremony started with the graduates entering the darkened arena under a disco ball, with searching spotlights sweeping the students, and to the drum crashes of "Jupiter". They stood in a large circle while the audience tried to find their students. Then the lights came up, and the traditional Pomp and Circumstance was played as the students filed to their seats.
The disco ball was the highlight for our youngest observers.
There were twenty valedictorians. Twenty.
We were grateful for the air-conditioning. Very grateful.
Have a great Tuesday!