Lauren’s Graduation Ceremony

My niece, Lauren, graduated from high school last night.

I went to the Performing Arts Center in Anchorage to attend the ceremonies along with my sister Noel (her mother), my brother Reed and his wife Heather, her grandmother Martha, the Pastor of their church and his wife, and our friends Lisa & Mark. Lauren also had some friends sitting with us, but I’m so bad with names… I’ve forgotten them!

The group of students graduating was from the IDEA Homeschool Program from out in the valley. There was quite a few of them up there, too: I didn’t do an actual headcount, but I’d estimate there were roughly 80+ kids.

It was a very well-choreographed event, with every child knowing exactly where to sit and when to stand; no one stumbled or got out of line (although one girl almost fell off the bleachers when she sat down a little funny). They even had the parents participating.

I was, of course, the super-proud Auntie and got all emotional about my little niece standing up there accepting her diploma AND the scholarship she won for being in the top 10% of her class. I just don’t know how parents can do that on a daily basis: I’d be an emotional wreck if I had kids of my own.

Each child had an opportunity to say a little something before accepting their diploma: most offered thanks to God, their parents, their siblings, and their friends (almost always in that order). Not all of them to advantage of it, but some did.

I have to say one of the more emotional events was when a girl named Jerusalem was called. She walked up to the microphone and got out a paper from which she read her prepared speech. I think she did this because she knew she’d get too emotional to do it without the props.

Turns out, she’s a Hale child. Alaskans will recognize that name from four years ago when the state prosecuted and convicted a man known as Papa Pilgrim. He and his family lived up on a homestead in the mountains near McCarthy. He was convicted of some very serious charges and was given a 14-year sentence, but died in prison back in 2008.

Jerusalem thanked her “new” parents for taking her out of that situation – “unspeakable” was the word she used – and for showing her what a real family should be like, allowing her to grow and learn and have a normal teenage life.

My niece sat in the second row almost dead center of the group. Her beautiful red hair made her stand out, so she was easy to keep an eye on. Her mother handed her diploma to her while I stood by the steps leading up to the stage and got some pictures.

You can see them on my facebook account, if you’re interested!