Graduation Ceremony

We happened to go to a graduation ceremony recently. No this is not a university or college graduation. This is not even a high school graduation. This is a graduation ceremony for the kids passing their kindergarten and going to first grade.

The auditorium was filled to capacity. The students came in procession to the accompaniment of music and took their seats on the stage. The program started with the usual “Flag Salute”. All the people present in the auditorium loudly said the following:

“I pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.”

(Foreign nationals and atheists are exempted from saying the Pledge of Allegiance.)

Then all three kindergarten teachers read a few lines on “Everything I ever needed to know I learned in Kindergarten”.

Then graduation ceremony for students of Ms. Brown. Each student came to the mike and said his/her name. Ms. Brown gave the graduation certificate and hugged the student. When the student said his/her name the relatives and friends in the audience gave a loud applause.

Then came the graduation ceremony for students of Miss. Hill.

Finally, the graduation ceremony for students of Mrs. Lundy.

In between the students sang three songs.

After the graduation ceremony, there were lot of cookies, candies, cakes and punch for all the students, teachers, parents and other guests.

One of the parents, sitting in the auditorium, was Ms. Shanice Wilson. She is a famous pop singer in USA. Her son was graduating from kindergarten this year. People smiled at her. She smiled back. Couple of guests took her picture. But no one bothered her.

In USA, there is usually graduation ceremony at the end of pre-school, kindergarten, sixth grade, and high school (12th grade). Some schools use graduation caps and gowns. Some don’t. The kindergarten graduation ceremony we attended did not use caps and gowns.

We enjoyed the occasion very much.