Graduation

This week my 8th grade students were asked to write a response to this question: If you were speaking at your graduation on May 21st, what would you say to your teachers, classmates, and family? Here is the response from one of my more colorful male students:

“Good morning ladies and gentlemen. I would first say thanks to God for helping me, that now I’m graduated. I believe he help me through kintergarden to 8th grade. Thanks from my heart to my family, that the pain of their back helped me to stand here. My special thanks to all my teachers and friends, who helped me, teach me, and be there for me. Sorry for the hard times I gave you, but I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me. Everyday I come to school, I wonder if I would even graduate! Well thank you God! It is important to look to our past, to once again gain or feel the experiences that we faced. Day by day is an adventure to. Set out to discover that something waiting for. Now I use it. Always will. Don’t be sad my fellow graduates, because this is the day we’ve been hoping to get to it. We will need what we learned in this school. It is true because we are journeying to another milestone. I wish that one day we will make history, that Chuukese were the first to step on Saturn.”

My students will be graduating in three weeks. Tomorrow is their last day of classes.

I tell them that I am graduating with them.