I had the pleasure of attending my son's high school Senior Honor's Day ceremony this morning.... It was 2 hours long, and a really nice, well organized day of recognition for a bunch of kids that have done some really impressive stuff throughout their high school careers. It was fast paced....but they were meticulous in giving individual recognition for each of the children's accomplishments. It's a graduating class of 800+, so any individual recognition, by my measure, is impressive. Kudos to the staff for that.
BUT.....there were three points that just simply made me smile and get all teared up at the same time.
#1) The event was opened by the school's JROTC unit presenting the colors, and they did it as well as any color guard I've ever seen.
#2) Very early on in his opening remarks, the principal asked every Veteran in the crowd to stand, and then explained to his students very clearly that, without the sacrifice of these men and women, the opportunities they are being recognized for today would not exist. WOW! This was powerful and moving!
#3) Near the very end of the event, he told the crowd that he had 31 other individuals that he wanted to recognize. (Not in the program!) Name by name, he called the 31 students in his senior class to the stage who had committed to military service following high school. Each was given a red, white and blue braided cord to wear at graduation. And once they were all on stage, he told his students, once again, that their bright futures were secured by the choice of service and sacrifice made by those on the stage, as it had been done by the Veterans he recognized earlier. I will tell you that you've never heard 800 kids as quiet as those in that moment. He continued by saying that we will all stand and recognize these young men and women for their commitment to our Country. He didn't ask anyone to stand.....he said, "We will." …...and everyone in that building did.
#4) Full disclosure. Yeah...one of those kids is mine. And my allergies have been really bad all day since. Can't seem to get my eyes to stop watering.
#5) I'm not one to normally brag on 'educators', but if every principal in the land took this kind of message to his/her students....I think we might be better off.
Trails.