Good luck grads

It is graduation time of year and as a school district employee I usually get invited to a couple of graduations every year, or several, which is the norm.

This year is an unusual year with five weekends of receptions starting the first weekend of the month and running through the first weekend of next month. Usually they are all in two-to-three weekends.

And true to form the graduation invites came from expected and unexpected graduates. It is always interesting to see who invites you because you had an impact, or because you are friends with the parents, or they just felt the need to invite every individual that came in contact with the person or because they want a gift or money or think they are popular.

This year's class was a love-hate group for me and I mean that in the kindest way. The athletes were a talented group, reaching post season in most every sport. The girls of this class were a class act, for the most part. The males on the other hand lacked and there were several  that the school staff is thinking "I'm glad they are gone" kind of guys. Some of these kids were pretty darn smart, others struggled. There is a student who has to retake a class for the third time this summer in order to get his high school diploma-but yet he got to walk at the graduation ceremony...I won't even go there. Then there is the young lady who has cruise through her entire educational career with the attitude that she was above and better than everyone, including the adults/teachers. She thinks she's God's gift to the world, which she is. But what she doesn't understand is that everyone else is God's gift to the world as well...someday someone will inform this arrogant young lady how to be a TEAM player, that your not better than everyone else and the word HUMBLE is a good word to learn about and add to your vocabulary and remember. She needs a lesson on how to treat people-all people.

Graduation this year did not include a guest speaker  at commencement who typically follows the protocol of wishing the class best of luck and offering sound words of advice for their futures. Instead this class asked each class member and "certain" adults from the school district to create a short video which was all put together for one long presentation...it's a great idea other than there were some "key adult players" left out of this farewell video. There were adults who should have been included and were not. The senior class sponsor dropped the ball as far as making this class accountable and including everyone as well as the young people who headed this well intended little project. I know some people were feeling pretty left out, and sadly after all the work that has been done for this group of kids to educate them and help them succeed, some people are more than happy to see this group to go because of this sour ending. (No I didn't get asked to make a video and  honestly I was relieved! No thank you!) This was kind of a bitter end to a group that had as many smart, good kids as to the dumb asses and lazy piles.

So as graduation time draws to a close it is with no regret and more of a feeling of good riddance I find myself feeling towards this class. Yes one, or two and even three bad apples does spoilt the whole bunch, which was the case with this group. I'm sure those who were successful in high school will continued to be successful in their future endeavors. You can pretty much tell those who will go far, and not look back. And regardless best of luck to all graduates. The future is all yours.