Graduation 2009

I like graduation ceremonies. The emotion, the drama, the celebration! Graduations are the culmination of 12 or 13 years of learning, hard work, homework, and a job well done. Commencement ceremonies should be about tradition and legacy. "Pomp and Circumstance" has to be played. I think every high school should use black robes. What is with a silver or purple colored robe? Something classy about a black robe. Black goes with any color honor cord. We have an eighth grade graduation at our school. (We don't have a high school). I make our graduation a big event. All graduations should be a big event. Everyone is there to see the graduates. They are not there to see the speaker. I feel bad for the speaker. Unless he can stand on his head or say something truly memorable he has a difficult task. I heard a commencement address last month that was 47 minutes long. The speaker lost the graduates about 10 minutes into the speech. It was too bad because it was a good speech. But don't speak for 47 minutes. Bill Smith was our speaker this year at Carmel Christian School. Memorable. "Follow Jesus on the journey of life." It was simple. He gave each graduate a compass. They will remember that. Congratulations to all the graduates. As I say every year, "Make much of Jesus." You can now move your tassel and throw your cap into the air.

Eagle Scout

On Saturday I had the privilege of being the guest speaker at an Eagle Scout recognition ceremony. One of my former students at Carmel Christian School, Brady Stephenson, received this special award. He is a great young man who is very deserving of the award. As I said in my speech, Brady manages to "be on the swim team, plays classical piano, participates in church activities, participates in mission opportunities, sings in the school choir, attends all Boy Scout outings, and still has time to get all A's and one B". You know how I like to know the history behind things so I started investigating the history of the Eagle Scout award. Alfred Rose received the first Eagle Scout award in 1912. The first President of the United States to be a Boy Scout was John F. Kennedy. But, the only U.S. President ever to achieve the Eagle Scout was Gerald Ford. At the ceremony I was reminded that for every 100 Boy Scouts only 2 will actually make to the end to become an Eagle Scout. How many of us actually complete anything? I know I start so many projects only to let them fall to the way. I hope to start and finish cleaning the garage tomorrow. Drop out rates for our schools continue to grow. Only 35% of those who start college actually finish. Completion of the Eagle Scout is an amazing accomplishment. Brady has again inspired me to be a part of something that is excellent. More importantly he has shown me the value of the successful completion of a valiant task. May we all strive for such a goal. Good job my friend.