Graduation

First, congratulations to all our high school and college graduates! Best wishes for a successful future, just don’t forget us.

Second, let’s give credit where credit is due and that is not referring to credit for classes, it is for our teachers and staff who give so much every day.

Teachers are mentors. From the time youngsters enter school, teachers will be one of the biggest influences in their lives. How many of us remember our favorite or most influential teacher?

Where would we be without our teachers? They were the ones that introduced us to a world past our home. Learning to read, it all started with little words and phrases, “See the dog run.” Remember? As we built our vocabulary, we graduated to chapter books and then just took it all for granted. Reading is not only fundamental, reading is fun.

Next we learned to write those words and a teacher was there to help us put those words into sentences and help us express ourselves.

Teachers spend four to six years before they are qualified to become a teacher, but all the schooling cannot really make a teacher. A teacher is much more than someone who stands in front of a class and lectures, assigns homework, and grades tests.

A teacher is also someone who identifies a student who needs additional help to learn, a student who has trouble possibly at home or in the classroom with others, and gives students encouragement. Imagine trying to teach 30 students in one room?

The staff members at each school again go beyond their job description to help students and deserve the thanks of all parents and guardians.

So, when each graduate walks to the podium at graduation to receive his or her certificate, he or she needs to acknowledge all the ones who made this special day happen. I still remember my graduation, May 21, 1965. Do you remember yours?