Graduation rocked!

As senior class adviser, one of my responsibilities is to coordinate the graduation ceremony with school officials and the students. Basically I am responsible for the program and planning.

Practice went off without a hitch. Those kids were so good at lining up, as well as at sitting and standing as a row. Nice work to add a classy detailed touch. Not so hot on singing the alma mater, but oh well.

There were a few sound problems at the ceremony, but it's not like you can fix those during the show, so just accept and move on. At least the speakers worked during one of the most important pieces.

The Distinguished Alumnus this year was Karl Horst, Class of 1973, who is a brigadier general in charge of U.S. Army operations in Baghdad, Iraq. His pal from high school, now a local insurance agent, spoke for him, and arranged for Gen. Horst to speak live via cell phone from Baghdad. We kept it almost a secret, so if it didn't work no one would know. It worked. Oh yeah, it worked well. The crowd was enthralled, riveted to the words spoken by this articulate and inspirational general who graduated 32 years ago. Simply put, it was awesome.

The evening ended with the usual fireworks, always a treat.

It was my pleasure to also make the rounds Saturday and Sunday to seven graduation parties. I love being invited, eating cake as much as possible. Talk centered on the success of the ceremony (and that phone call) and the senior party where a number of students left a lasting impression with their antics while hypnotized. Graduation weekend is such a reaffirmation for me. It almost erases all the rougher spots during the school days, and it shows that kids do grow up and become adults ready to take on the world. Sometimes I am still a bit apprehensive, but usually I am impressed. I am already planning for 2006.

-- Wenatchee, Wash.