Wednesday, May 30, 2012

The Class that Rocked

I usually make a point of going to graduation at the high school my kids end up going to, but this year, I HAD to go to graduation.  No way was I going to miss this.  Because this, dear friends, was the group of kids that we all fell in love with.  This was the Class that Rocked.

I don't care if you talk to their elementary teachers, their middle school teachers, or their high school teachers, you'll get the same response - "This was the best class I've had in years."  They were.  I think in nine years at The School, this class, easily, was my favorite.  In fact, if I look at the kids who've kept in touch with me through high school (and there are quite a few now that I actually sit down and count), most of them are from this class.  My house and cat sitter, after all, is in this class!

Oh sure they had their pests and troublemakers and thugs and goobers who wouldn't work (and the Third Period Class From the Very Depths of Hell Itself), but overall, they were a great group of kids.  They got along.  They liked each other.  They actually had some ambition.   And they were nice.  And a lot of fun.

Unlike previous years where we all had to find our own seats in the rafters of the University Gym where all the graduations are held, The Principal called Mr. High School Principal and asked if he could arrange for us to sit with the faculty on the floor.  No problem.  When Mrs. Cardinal (8th grade Social Studies) and I showed up on Saturday for the ceremony, Mr. High School Principal was so enthusiastic to see us, it was almost embarrassing.  All in all about six of us went to graduation although a few others were in the rafters with family members because they had kids of their own graduating.  It was fun being close to the action.

This class was impressive, earning over $2 million in scholarships.  Many are going into the military.  A number of mine are going into the sciences - at least two into nursing and one into wildlife biology.  I ran into one of mine and asked if he remembered telling me he was going to get a Nobel Prize for science one day.  He did, he said, and he was still planning on the Nobel.  He got a huge scholarship and is heading to Emory.

I love these kids.

People rarely tell teachers thanks.  But when we see those kids walk across that stage, especially the ones who barely scraped through 7th grade, it is it's own reward.

Bless them all.


6 comments:

Leesepea said...

My very favorite class ever graduated from high school this year, too.

I've taught several of their younger siblings, each awesome in their own right, but no one will ever top my favorite class ever.

Wish I had been able to attend their commencement. I'm sure it was totally awesome.

HappyChyck said...

Isn't it funny how every few years we have this awesome classes? The class I've had this year is one of those classes I'd hope to see graduate high school, too. The last class I had like this was graduated last year, so I guess that was a five year span. A long time between the really good stuff!

EveryNewBeginning said...

My first class graduated this year... They were kind of broken apart w/ one of the past rezoning in town.

Love your blog- you teach in my county (I believe). I have been reading you forever and just started my own blog.

Every New Beginning Blog

Miss Angel said...

I love that you go to the graduations! That really shows that you care how the kids' lives turn out, even after they're no longer your responsibility. I doubt many teachers do that. (I know mine didn't!)

Mrs. Barton's First Grade said...

Oh, that was lovely -I'm even a little teary!

Elizabeth said...

My very favorite class is graduating this year as well! I cried when they left on the last day of 7th grade. I got them at just the right time - my third year teaching after a pretty challenging first two. If they hadn't been so amazing, I might have quit teaching altogether.