Homeschool Graduation!

The graduation… what every high school student dreams about… except the homeschoolers. Because, honestly, after 18 years of our parents teaching us, we're pretty darn ready to be done. We don't want a diploma. We don't want a ceremony. We just want to GO TO COLLEGE!

But we put up with it anyway. Because homeschool graduation is really all about the parents. My mom kept saying "I'm so happy I didn't screw you up too badly!" and "We made it! We did it!" which of course translates to "Thank God it's over!"

So we showed up in our gowns and hats and sat in the stinky hot youth room until it was time to walk in—very slowly—to whatever the title of that traditional graduation walking ceremony song it is. And I mean slow, slow. They made us go in, one ever eight count.

Hey, there were only fourteen of us. We had to make it last longer than fifteen seconds.

So two students did a flute-piano duet, two more did an electric guitar duet, two more did a guitar/singing duet. (My dance wouldn't fit on the stage, so we moved it until the reception.)

Then each student was called up, one at a time, with their parents.

See, for homeschoolers, ever student goes to a different "School" because each family is their own school, so the parents would give the diplomas. I had forgotten to tell my dad that he could say "a few words of sentimental value" to me onstage… and of course remembered as soon as I sat down.  He made something up off the top of his head, managed not to make a complete fool of me, and I kept my eyes reasonably dry. (I can't say the same for mom. But then she started tearing up when I handed her the fake rose). He said something about it being a long eighteen years, and thank you for letting us experiment on you… Well, they got it on video tape, so I'll have to watch it again.

At the reception, I did my dance. It was pretty good… for only having practiced for about eight or nine days, for half an hour a day. (Remember I quit in December of 2008 and haven't danced since).

So if you want to see pictures (and the video of the dance, the special music singer, and mom forgetting to take the camera off of Video setting) click here.

~Haley