The parents got together and in just 3 days, a committee planned and put together a most wonderful Graduation Day.
It kicked off with breakfast at one house, followed by a Barbeque at another house. Up until this week, the weather here was as cold as winter and we had the heating on. But Mr. Sun showed up this week, and it has been glorious! Perfect BBQ weather.
Hubby volunteered to cook hot dogs and to help out, and he took a few photos.
For Wednesday night, the committee booked a hotel ballroom, and we had a really beautiful celebration of/for these young adults. They were all dressed up and looked fantastic! They were very well-behaved, there were some great speeches and musical performances by the students. Here she is making a speech about the Head Boy and Girl! No notes, just talked ad lib! I was one proud Mama!
Another highlight was the arrival of the Heineken Cup, but that was lost on me, I didn't recognise it!! All the fathers were queuing up to have their photo taken with it after the formal proceedings.
I'm still not sure where things stand as regards the school, but the memories from Graduation Day and night will stay with us for a long time.
I forgot to bring my camera with me, and this was the best of the pictures of the 3 of us we could get. I've tried to enhance it a bit with Photoshop, but the best I can say about it is that She looks well in it!
Oh so glad it worked out and you were able to honor those young people!!
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos! Even the last has a kind of through-rose-colored-glasses sort of charm. I'm so happy for those kids that they had parents who just stepped up and made it special. This class may have the most precious memories of all- remembering how close they came to having it taken away entirely. Well done all. Lots of 'Head Boys and Girls' that night!
ReplyDeleteThat is wonderful what the parents did for the graduates! And I can tell you are a very proud mama, with good reason. Congratulations to your daughter and all the best to her as she moves on to the next phase of life.
ReplyDeleteSo glad there was a happy ending! XOXO
ReplyDeleteOoh, well done! Congratulations to you both, and to them all!
ReplyDeleteOh that's such lovely news. It must have been a very proud and rewarding night indeed.
ReplyDeleteCJ x
Congratulations to them all, but especially for the parents who took the sour lemons and made lemonade for their children!
ReplyDeleteIn Michigan, a senior class of 60 students rode their bicycles to school as a prank. The large group, led by a police escort and the mayor of the town, caused slow traffic and made teachers late for school. For punishment, they were suspended by the principal and threatened with being unable to participate in commencement exercises. Social networking worked against the principal as the story made national news in no time at all and she ultimately had a lot of backpedaling of her own to do.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/22/60-kenowa-hills-students-suspended-for-bike-ride_n_1537426.html
Good for the parents that pulled off this wonderful time for their graduating kids. May the memories last forever.
ReplyDeleteHi Mimi,
ReplyDeleteCatching up here, and am sorry to hear about the awful experience for you all. Glad it was resolved happily in the end, fair play to the parents!
Good luck to your daughter in the Leaving! We have our first Junior Cert coming up, and boy I cannot WAIT for it to all be behind us!
Cxx
Thanks Ciara, those parents were great! Hope your Junior Cert is rolling along nicely. It is tough on the kids, so many exams close together, they get very tired. I don't agree with this system, I think 50% continuous assessment would be much fairer. But we've got to live with what we have (for now!)
DeleteYAY! :) Congrats to the graduate and you all for making it happen!
ReplyDeleteThanks Amy, can't believe she's a graduate! In the middle of her exams now!
DeleteWhat a difficult time and so tough for the students, but you seem to have saved the day! Well done.
ReplyDeleteMarianne, it was tough on them, and I was so impressed with how they held their dignity throughout.
DeleteCongratulations, sounds like it was a great celebration and a wonderful and memorable day for everyone.;)
ReplyDeletexoxo
Zuzana, yes it really was something very special and I think the kids will always remember that people believed in them and cared about them.
DeleteCongratulations! Yay for the parents that turned this around! Job well done! - Maeve
ReplyDeleteMaeve, thanks for your comment, yes I agree, Yay for the parents!
DeleteSo glad it all worked out! And was better than it would have been otherwise anyway! We, as parents, can be amazing when we have to, eh? LOL
ReplyDeletePam, I agree, and it was heartwarming to see people do so much for their kids.
DeleteMimi well done on arranging the grad night - read about that at the time and compared to what went on in some of the other schools it seemed like a minor prank - talk about heavy-handed response - totally OTT. Well here the kids just bunk off school for the day and go down the river and no doubt some drinking takes place even though they'd mostly be >18, and no-one goes the heavy. There was a bit of a ruckus one year when they went up and locked the gates of the school carpark and were caught on CCTV. Thankfully the head is pragmatic when it comes to punishment and as one who sat on the school board for 4 yrs I think it's a better way to go. Sounds like your new head was trying to stamp authority but smacks of insecurity IMHO! Good luck to your daughter Wed. on. Catherine xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks Catherine. Yes, I too think the reaction was OTT! The parents who arranged the Grad (not me!) did a great job. It was lovely to be there, and I think it may set a precedent for future Grads-they may just tell the school to stuff it!
DeleteI'm glad I saw this and so glad things worked out so well!
ReplyDeleteI hope someone took a video and sent it to the school. :)
Thanks for your comment Carletta- I saw someone with a video camera but not sure what became of the recording, must enquire..
Delete