Dalton's High School Graduation

Grad Night for Ross Shepherd High School, Edmonton

There are some rites of passage that can’t happen enough times, though we only get one chance to do it ourselves: high school graduation.

But lucky those who have children and then grandchildren to watch.

Dalton’s class was a big one: 600 students. 

Doral had the calculation done before hand: how many seconds each grad would have on stage.

He estimated 10 seconds and he was correct; that is how long it took for the students who’s last names started with the letters A-K. Then the students got the idea of how this was being done and they sped the event up on their own, only about 5 seconds between the calling out of each name.

No diploma inside of this folder!

Ross Shepherd High School is a pro at graduations.

The balloons decorated the venue, Grecian pillars were on the stage and a white arch through which the students walked was the centrepiece.

Some of them stopped for their first second of immortality, posing for family and friends, or doing a small dance, or hugging the principal just a little too long.

Doral thought that Dalton would either do a full rolling tumble and end up on his feet or nothing at all. It was the later.

The tassel on the mortar board was flipped from left to right by the principal. Of the whole 600 students, he only pulled the tassel right off on one of the student’s hats.

  .... Dalton and Arta leaving for the grad evening ...

If each of the 600 grads brought only five people, as Dalton did, there would have been at least 3,000 people there, either lining the halls or queuing up for the stairwells to get in and out of the arena.

Dalton said it was an event, watching all of the people he has known for 3 years walk across the stage.

Some he has been in school productions with, or in classes with or has known as close friends.

 Five seconds for each can bring back a host of memories.

 .... Meighan and Doral in the audience ...

As well, the school website has a confession page.

Dalton liked following along on the Facebook site, even telling us later that when people who were really hot walked across the stage, that hit the confession page went bezerk.

Thank goodness for texting.

Dalton had a new suit – well he felt he had two new suits, since a different vest, shirt and tie were also purchased, so if not two suits, at least two looks.

LtoR: Arta, Ron, Ceilidh

Ceilidh was on a campout so she missed Dalton's graduation night
The next day she was busy at a Lacrosse tournament.
Now there is a game no one else in the family has done yet!

He had finished all of the courses needed for high school graduation in January, so his diploma came in the mail in February.

 Others of his classmates were handed a diploma. Dalton laughed when he could see he was only handed a blank folder, but then who needs two high school diplomas when one will do.

 LtoR: Meighan and Dalton:
"Finally the evening is over.  Now to the restaurant."

We went out to Boston pizza when the evening was over: Grandpa Ron, Doral, Anita, Meighan and Dalton.

 A good night for all, since the appetizers were buy two, get the third one free.

Congratulations, Dalton.

Arta