Inspiring Excellence

Final Graduation Thoughts

My last two posts have been thoughts from Thursday's graduation in which my two oldest participated.  Tonight was the high school graduation.  The picture is of the library where their art projects were on display.

Cedar Hall graduated 3 this year (when you only have 15 or so in high school, you don't have many seniors).  I did get to spend some special time this year with the high school students talking about goal setting on a couple of different occasions, so I knew them a little better than normal.

They are a special group.  Congrats to Erica, Bart, and Becky!!  It was quite an evening with those of us in attendance got to hear great stories and the unique characteristics of what makes each one of these young people special.

Following a reception, the seniors wanted to dance the night away.  As you can see from Annalee's face(as she dances with one of the seniors-Becky, we didn't make it too late).

Surprise Special Moment

Graduation day - that means that all 35 of the 3rd through 8th graders at Cedar Hall School participate on moving on to the next grade.  Included in the days festivities were recitations of poetry from each of the children.  So I began my day listening to Shakespeare, Whitman, Dickinson, and some original works by the students.

Following the poems, we heard of some great accomplishments from the year and then the most important part each year:  One by one, the students were called up.  Their teachers put their arms around them and shared about their year, their uniqueness, their character traits, and special memories.  We ended the day with a picnic under the shade trees.

A special moment for this parent came with the announcement of my oldest being announced as one of two recipients of the Rachel Farris Memorial Scholarship.  It is an award given each year to a student or two that is voted on by their peers and faculty.  It is given to students that exemplify excellence in the way they act toward their education and others.  Pictured are Mr. and Mrs. Gordon (the headmasters) with this year's winners: Blake George and Erin Griffin.

I can't think of much better way to spend a sunny Thursday morning.

Friends...and a New Blog I Visit

Meet some friends from California, Larry and Terri Johnson.  Terri is an agent in Tracy and Larry is her office manager, but most of all, her love.  I have enjoyed getting to know both of them over the past three years thanks to the Ninja Coaching program and Walt Frey.  Terri and I both now teach what we have been learning.  Check out Terri's NinjaPath website.

We at Bob Parks Realty recently had Terri in a for a special one-day retreat to inspire us...and she was terrific!!!

Larry recently left for his second tour of duty in Iraq.  You can follow The Johnson Family story here or from my list as I just added them to blogs I visit.

Parenting Milestone

For the past twelve years (except for one), we have had at least one of our kids in St. Mark's Preschool.  Today our littlest graduated.  She is now a kindergartner and this part of our life is now passed. No more "stone soup" or "three piggy operas"...and tons more great memories...

"A hundred years from now it won't matter what my bank account was, the house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child."

Thanks Ms. Sherrie and Ms. Janet and all the other teachers through the years for making a difference in the lives of my children!!