05/03/2025
With graduation just around the corner, we all get excited about this momentous occasion as if it is us, a child, or grandchild that is graduating.
We plan parties and celebrations for them.. We invite friends and family to celebrate the momentous occasion that graduation can be.
We see caps, gowns and the honors cords laid over the shoulders with the academic or club stole around the neck signifying an achievement, club or organization.
Honors and accolades given to outstanding students.
We all want to congratulate them on their achievements, as they should be, many worked hard for them.
Many of those may go to a prestigious school to continue their education and hopefully achieve a degree that is useful for them.
But there beside them are students that do not have the accolades to wear with their graduation gowns.
Plain unadorned….. almost lonely are many of these students.
Many of these graduates will be ignored.
Some will not have time to go to a graduation party, because they must go to work shortly after the ceremony is over. Many must swap shifts so they could walk with their class.
These are the students that have climbed their mountain, this is their big moment in their academic life.
They struggled through school knowing all the while there was no college for them because no matter how hard they tried they could not make the grade or there just is not any resources for them to even attempt to continue to collage.
Many had to work after or even before school, so clubs and other activities were not an option for them.
Many may have had to couch surf to have a place over their heads.
Many did without meals because the money was not always there.
They have been overlooked time and time again. They were just there in school, sometime purposely hiding in the crowd of students to not to be picked-out, picked-on, or bullied. Or they were afraid or didn't know how to ask for help.
As everyone, including teachers and staff gather around the students with the academic or athletic honors and congratulate them and cheer them on, try to remember the student or students that struggled hard, for whatever reason, to even graduate let alone be able to attend the graduation ceremony
Seek them out.
Shake their hand, give them a hug, tell them you are as proud if not prouder of what they have achieved, invite them to a graduation party, encourage them.
Because maybe, just maybe, you did recognize their struggle, their sacrifice and hardship. What they did achieve was to them what was or seemed impossible.
To them they have slain their dragon, they have swam their ocean, they have climbed their mountain. They too are at a lofty height at this moment, encourage them as you would an honor student or the accomplished school athlete, they also deserve the acknowledgement.
Honor them as you would one that has achieved the accolades they wear. For these unadorned students may wear their accolades in their hearts where they are not seen on the outside.
Honor them for this achievement, for many this may be their greatest moment of high school or even their educational career.
Be proud of them because for them it may have seemed impossible to achieve, yet here they are walking with their fellows
Treat them with the respect they may not have received while in school this too is their moment.
Congratulations graduates stand proud with head held high.
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