http://s92.photobucket.com/user/Gillian_West/media/GradElle_zps906b9632.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0 This is Elle right before getting into her cap and gown. Love this pic, because it's so "her". At graduation practice, the principal told the boys to wear a shirt and tie under their gown, and told girls to wear a nice dress. Elle, of course, being Elle...asked if she could wear a shirt and tie instead. The principal sighed. "Yes, Ellen, you can wear a shirt and tie instead" And she did! Her very favorite Jurassic Park tie. LOL. Kids here decorate their caps with anything they'd like...just a way to give them a little creative individuality and celebrate. Was a wonderful graduation. Elle read a poem she wrote, and her boyfriend Robby did a short speech on his memories of elementary school. (three kids talked...one about elementary, one about middle, one about high school)...then Elle read her poem. Then the salutatorian and valedictorian. Was the nicest graduation I've ever been to
I don't know how to post them here other than to link my Facebook account (I don't have a photo bucket account). I never realized until this week just how shy Andrew is :lol:
Anything new makes them seem so awkwardly sweet and shy. I'm so proud of Elle, and I know you're busting with pride for Andrew. Whew! We all survived
:lol: As the grads were leaving last night, Andrew walked past us making the motion like he was wiping tears because he knew I was going to be crying..... love that boy!
My level of respect for him went through the roof to a whole new level on prom night. He and his date didn't stay for long (which didn't surprise me - he was never interested in school dances), they chose to come home and hang out together next door with friends. He didn't drink alcohol but his date had a cooler with alcohol in it. His father was joking with him and asked if he gave her a kiss and Andrew said "She had a drink and I wouldn't do that, it's wrong to take advantage of someone when they've had something to drink". So very proud of him for that! PS One of his friends who graduated last year is taking journalism and was at the Grand March, took a picture of Andrew and his date and he made it to the newspaper here! That absolutely made my day! Of all the grads they could have chosen, he took Andrew's picture and it was published
Cut that out and get it in the scrap book, Brenda! Love it! And yep, that was a classy move with his date. Good for him, for being a gentleman, and also for not drinking. I'm VERY strict about alcohol and drugs. And all the kids who hang out at my house know it's not an option. It's more than just the typical after-school special reasons....the possibility of getting yourself or others hurt, or addiction... If you say these things to kids, you'll get brushed off because they will rationalize that they can choose to absolutely not drive, that they can't afford to do it often enough to get hooked, etc. Kids aren't dumb. They know the sky won't fall. What I find really gets their attention....is to point out what happens to their ability to get student loans, get jobs, get accepted to colleges, get a driver's license, get insurance....with that on their record. It IS illegal to drink under 21, and the charges for getting caught are WAY stiffer than when we were kids. It follows you, and it screws up your future in terrible ways. That risk...just isn't worth it. You're gambling with college, your chances of getting a job and moving out, your whole future. I've noticed that kids listen to this stuff...with a lot more interest and serious consideration...than the "you're going to crash and kill people and die drunk in the gutter" speech.
Thanks Jackie Wish more people would post photos Love yours, btw. The dinosaur tie got a lot of comments yesterday. Elle was going to work at the Michigan State University biology camp this year as a junior counselor (she did this last year) to fulfill her volunteer hours for one of her scholarships....but her supervisor sent her to the MSU Biological Station, instead, to help a graduate student with some Botany research! Yesterday was her first day, and several of the graduate students doing research loved the tie. LOL. It's from Jurassic Park...Elle's all time favorite film. (what budding geneticist doesn't like Jurassic Park?) It lead to some great conversations and networking on other projects. She's working nine hours today helping to plant and document about 3000 little seeds that are part of a research project, labeling them, then she'll be putting some spreadsheets and graphs together from three years of data on this project...because she let it slip that she's good at Excel...LOL. The biological station also has an Ecology wing and an Evolutionary Biology wing that are running some great research that's more up her ally. She's going to be helping some of the researchers with those projects later in the summer. It's mostly tedious grunt work...but it's an undergraduate research credit, fulfills her volunteer hours, and she's really enjoying checking out the different disciplines, asking questions, getting some great feedback on what sort of specialty she wants to pursue. And here I thought I'd have her home this last summer...lol. Ah well...they do like to follow their dreams. If they have the opportunity, how can you say no?
Crazy, on Saturday Phillip's friend will be having a Quince Anos. In case you don't know, it's a coming of age ceremony for Hispanic girls. He's one of the attendants, which means he'll be wearing a light pink vest and bowtie, and will be waltzing. A couple in our co-op have given very generously of their time to teach the teens how to waltz. I'll be sure to post pictures of him! Elle might find this interesting. The daughter of a friend here in central Ohio was given grant money to work on this locally. http://www.wach.com/news/story.aspx?id=1061848#.U6sc22dOXcs
Katie's Krops...is brilliant! What a great idea Ah, the big 15! Quinceañeras are a REALLY big deal. Should be quite a party! So cool they'll be waltzing! That's a wonderful skill for a boy to have. What girl doesn't like to waltz? Would LOVE to see pics of that!
