Grade 8 Graduates 2008

The Official Class of 2008 Portrait courtesy of the good folks at Pacific Digital Media. Thanks Ed and staff for making us look good!

The graduates at their ceremony, Wednesday, June 4, 2008. That's Babs delivering the welcome. Check out their edgy decorations in the background. These kids just don't do things "just like everybody else." In addition to the graffiti style banner, they were escorted by the 7th graders dressed all in black and wearing shades, and for their processional they had "Pomp and Circumstance" played on the electric guitar by one of their seventh grade schoolmates. You can click on the video below to view a clip of some of my remarks in which I share my impressions of this unique group of students.



The class of 2008 has been a real joy to teach. Their curiosity and creativity are a teacher's dream. They are a little unconventional, they can be quite rambunctious, and strangely they don't get along with each other all that well (the claas is especially divided along gender lines), but nonetheless this group of eight 8th graders is crackling with energy, passion, and charisma. I'm proud of each of these kids individually as well as the class collectively and I feel like the luckiest teacher in the world to have been their teacher for the past few years and to have been their class sponsor this year. Several of the students I've known since kindergarten and it's been a special reward to see "J", "M" and "K" reach this special milestone in their lives.

This blog will conist chielfy of photos and is primarily for the benefit of some of our former teachers--good old Mr. Graves comes immediately to mind--who might enjoy seeing the progress of their proteges.

Some may wonder about the absence of "T" in our graduation ceremony. Unfortunately, he chose not to come to graduation for reasons that are still not entirely clear. I was saddened by his absence. You may also see a face that isn't familiar to you. I'll call this young man "L". He just enrolled in our school just after the 8th grade class trip.


Babs with the 8th grade girls (and one of the girl's sister, who is in the 7th grade) before the ceremony.



The class's commencement address speaker, John Dax Moreno better known to the kids as "Uncle John."


The processional begins to the tune of "Pomp and Circumstance" ripped through on the electric guitar thanks to our 8th grade boys' buddy in the seventh grade. The 8th graders had virutally all live music for their graduation. The only canned tunes were for the 7th graders escort (Beethoven's 5th symphony which was sufficiently grand) and the music for the "Memories" slide show (that slide show was created by class president and valedictorian "J" by the way). Everything else was live and performed by the class members or their school mates.

"Ko" and "K" run through "Ukelele Invention" a number they created for the graduation ceremony. Below, the students collect their diplomas.

Our class president and valedictorian, "J". She got the highest grades of any student I've ever taught. She's a remarkable young lady! Below, she poses with her family.

Babs and I with "K" and "M" and their mother who flew in from Japan just for their graduation.

Finally a graduation cake that everyone actually ate. The fact that was cheesecake from the Hyatt Regency probably helped.






To my kids: Congratulations! I love you all!