Thursday, June 24, 2010

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.

22 comments:

  1. That was a nice narration. Even here graduation ceremonies for little kids are becoming common. But these things would really make the parents happy.

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  2. thats kinda cute... to hold graduation for kindergarden :D
    lovely post...

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  3. aww they all look so cute on stage.

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  4. Thanks for your comments Chitra. You are correct. I saw happiness in every parent's face in that auditorium.

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  5. Thanks for your comments Rajlakshmi. Graduation for passing kindergarten is very popular now.

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  6. Thanks for your comments Shruthi. They really look cute.

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  7. They have started kintergarten graduation ceremonies in India too, very cute, and to see the kids happy and enjoying the place on stage ... I attended my neighbours' we had a wonderful time

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  8. Thanks for your comments PNA. We loved the ceremony. I am glad you had a wonderful time.

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  9. The kids might feel 'BIG' with all these celebrations for their sake!

    It is done here too, nowadays, with caps and gowns too, in some schools!

    Nice pictures, SG!

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  10. Congrats to the Little Grad!

    ~ NRIGirl

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  11. Could just imagine how sweet it must've been...After all, kindergarden or Post-graduation, a graduation ceremony is definitely a proud moment :)

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  12. Thanks for your comments Sandhya. I think caps and gowns for little kids is a bit too much.

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  13. Thanks for your comments NRIGirl. These kids look so happy.

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  14. Thanks for your comments lostworld. Yes, it certainly a proud moment for them.

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  15. I like this part of American life.

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  16. Thanks for your comments A. I am glad you like this part of American life.

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  17. The ceremony has been described well. This has started in India too. And the parents have to pay out of their pockets.

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  18. Thanks for your comments Radha. It is sad parents have to pay out of their pockets for everything.

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  19. I like this tradition..In India we have only after studying min 14 classes:)

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  20. Graduation ceremonies for kids are now popular in India too....two years back, I was part of a clapping audience, when my daughter "graduated" from playschool to kindergarten.

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  21. What a lovely thing to do for them. I've never heard of doing this before but I'm sure they all loved it and parents got to show how proud they are of their little ones.

    DrawnByGeorgina, Pencil portraits from your photos

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  22. Each student came to the mike and said his/her name.

    Kindergarten Schools Mumbai

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