Project 365: Day 18 - Thurs. June 4, 2009

7:00 pm. I'm the last of the line on the left side. Ms. White is my cohort on the right side. We are following behind the Class of 2009. I smile when I see the stage. It looks fantastic and I feel proud. I am hopeful that my first impression of the graduation will carry me through the event...

Two years ago graduation was a disaster - I left in tears filled with umbrage that I had missed seeing and hearing my babies walk across the stage because I was dealing with ignorant parents who couldn't follow directions. I was threatened and ignored by parents because I was asking them to leave the graduate area. What made them think it was OK to sit with the teachers and the graduates? When I asked them to leave and they ignored me, I said, "this is why we have students who don't listen - because they have parents who don't listen." I was then told my behavior and comments would be taken to the superintendent. "He knows me by name," I said, "give him my best." I couldn't sleep that night - I was disgusted and angry. I couldn't believe parents had just kept me from enjoying one of the most meaningful events an educator goes through. In my less than graceful thoughts I was hoping their nights were ruined too...because I was never called on my "bad behavior", I guess they let it go. I, however, held onto that experience for a long time. In fact every time I attend a graduation, the memories come back and I have to talk myself out of the gloomy mood that attempts to take me over...

Those thoughts are in stark contrast to the feelings and thoughts I have now thinking about this year's NTHS graduation. This graduation was one of the most dignified, professional and organized graduations I have ever attended in my 16 years of teaching. It was over in 60 minutes, the speeches by Mrs. Cheswick, Alicia Davis, Tori McCollum and Ayobami Ajayi were better than any keynote address I've ever heard (except for Colin Powell's address who sat next to me on the stage of Randallstown's 1997 graduation). The students didn't act out on stage or in their seats. The parents followed the rules. There were no blow-horns (although there was one whistle) and I hear they escorted one sister out because she crossed the camera line. Everyone acted with decorous behavior and I was once again proud to be a teacher of New Town High.

I did, however, learn two lessons from this event. I will never give the AVID cords out early - scholars can not be trusted to remember... and somehow we were short?? I am also going to be the one to personally take the copies of acceptance letters to guidance so that every AVID scholar in the class of 2010 will be in the program with the college OF THEIR CHOICE beneath each name. This year's program corroborates that only 13 scholars out of 18 scholars made it to an institution for higher education. We know more than that got accepted but the students didn't all turn the information into guidance. I am sorry for the parents who didn't get to see their child's name listed. I hereby promise that every one of the 25 AVID 12 scholars will be in next year's program.