THURSDAY, June 16, 2005

THURSDAY, June 16, 2005

Our View

Passages

The elementary school students have been formally

sent on their way with hot graduation

ceremonies taking place as the heat index soared on Wednesday.

This coming Saturday the graduating seniors will have their last hurrah as they say goodbye to some ol the most formative years of their young lives.

Hopefully they will have been served well as they take their next steps along life’s road.

It’s all about having the right tool set to survive out there and for today’s young adults it’s more critical than ever that they be prepared to face what life • has to dish out. ; For the most part, they’ve had to deal with not ; only SOL stress but making the grade in other ways - like staying free of drugs and alcohol, competing on sports teams, learning music pieces, holding down jobs and learning to be responsible and civic-minded citizens as well. ; They’ve done a lot of volunteering with community : organizations so they know the value of lending a : hand and, perhaps more importantly, they’ve gotten a : dose of perspective. Perspective is a wondrous gift. It forms a framework to look at the world differently and usually with more appreciation.

Our graduating seniors have also set a standard for a rising generation of future graduates that have looked to them as role models and as those lucky ones who are now able to leave school.

But for all it’s pomp and circumstance, graduation is a death of sorts because a time that you have had you will not have again. There will be some expected grieving. • And along with the grieving, great anticipation as to what will come next.

It s the end of not only their relationship to a learning institution but their relationships with lots of students, teachers and administrators that they may or may not have occasion to stay in touch with.

Our young folks are pretty resilient these days and \yhether they are heading off to college, deciding to join the military or taking on a job or internship, the adults in their lives will have to stand back, take a deep breath and trust that they have imparted all the tools that their child and student will need to take the next step and to make decisions wisely.

As our young graduates step up to receive their diplomas, lets keep them in our hearts and prayers and wish them the very best as they step forward.

And while were wishing them well, let’s hold back our fears about their future success and happiness. . It would seem that is a given.