Eight Grade Graduation

A holding his graduation certificate. 

My son is now finished with Middle School. He also leaves the only school that he has known. He attended it for eight years.

Wednesday morning was a Commissioning Breakfast where the faculty prayed over the students after we heard speeches from three alumni (who are now high school seniors) and there was a special speaker.

faculty on stage and parents laying hands on students.

The repeated advice (for high school) from the speakers to the graduates was: get involved, sign up for things, and try new things. We've been stressing that to our son so it was quite ironic. On display at the breakfast were the posters the kids created about themselves. The posters included their life verse, photos, and schoolwork they chose to show off.

Above is A's poster. His name is the heading (not shown).

I admit that I cried a little at the breakfast. I am pretty sad that his time at his school is over. His school has been a tremendous blessing in his life and in ours. I think choosing it was one of the best family decisions we have made.

Tuesday night was graduation. The students gathered for a formal group photo first. The ceremony included singing by the advanced choir, a speech from a parent, a speech from a student (selected by the faculty), award presentation of valedictorian and presidential academic acheivement awards (which my son received), and a slide show of the kids with a baby/toddler photo followed by a current photo. There was a stand up reception afterwards. On the tables were photos all the graduates.

The graduation program listed all the names with the high school they will be attending and the reference for the student's life verse. His six grade teacher (no longer at the school) came for the event. A student teacher was very popular with the boys was also there.

the student teacher is the one in shorts. :)

Here is A with a friend.

We went out for "FroYo" afterwards. (That's frozen yogurt.)

The next evening was the parent-sponsored graduation party from 4 pm to 9 pm. It was held at a farm with a large barn (very fancy inside) in Snohomish. The most popular activity for my son was the human foosball. There was also dancing, laser tag, fire pits and smores, a dunk tank, and a photo booth. My husband said the food was delicious. It was BBQ sandwiches.

My hubby chaperoned. I came just for the final event. A parent bought Chinese lanterns for all the kids and the idea was to say a prayer for your child and then light it with them and send them off into the sky.

boys with their lanterns

the barn is in the background

It was pretty beautiful seeing them all float away. We said goodbye to his friends and headed home.

A friend took a photo of us as a family at graduation but she hasn't sent it to me yet.


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