A Special Event Steeped In Tradition

A special event entrenched in Americana is the tradition of high school graduation.  Typically at this time of year, it’s a special event that is played out in a similar fashion at high schools and other venues across the country.  It’s an event most of us participate in and remember forever.

But because of COVID-19, there will be no graduating seniors marching across the stage anytime soon.  The ceremonies will be replaced with congratulatory yard signs in their own neighborhoods.

We won’t get to hear the student body president share all the collective accomplishments of the class of 2020.   We won’t get to hear the valedictorian telling the dozens, hundreds or even thousands of friends and family in attendance that “this class is our future,” “we have only begun” and “watch out world, here we come!”

We won’t get to hear the principal or some administrator try to pronounce each graduate’s name correctly, or hear the snickers from the students when they hear a classmate’s given name – including his or her middle name — announced to the world.

We won’t get to see the proud parents and faculty on the football field after the ceremony snapping an endless barrage of photos.

We, however, like the current graduating classes, will always be able to identify with our high school and its mascot.  For the HMA team, we will always be:

Abbie – Shadow Mountain Matadors
Alison – Horizon Huskies
Annelise – Desert Vista Thunder
Autumn – Maroa Forsyth Trojans
Marissa – Xavier Gators
Jennifer – Germantown Red Devils
Scott – Washington Rams

And most importantly, we can all also remember back to when we were graduating from high school and think in unison, “If we only knew then what we know now.”