The ceremony had one high school graduate and two eighth graders who walked in "promotion" to High School. As the eighth grader teacher I delivered the eighth grade promotion speech. The following is a transcript of my speech as well as a few shots taken from the performance.
Good morning Site Administrator Chris, faculty and staff, honored guests, and of course you students. I'm here to recognize and congratulate Chinace and Nicole and their advancement from the eighth grade. [directed to them] You both should be very proud. You made it! At this point, you should take a moment to think back on what you've done in these last near decade worth of schooling. Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed it. You haven’t gone through this alone so you should also find the time to appreciate the support of your parents and other family members who helped you to get here.Eighth grade. You've finished "middle" school. You’re no longer stuck in the “middle.” This ceremony means that you've gone past the middle, and you're only four years, fingers crossed, from being where Grace is today...a high school graduate. [quick aside to graduate] Congratulations, Bunna. You now have written proof in the school records that, unlike many adults on TV, you really are smarter than a fifth grader.
This is a time for celebration, and also a time to ask, what happens now? Many, many years ago (before most of you students were born) I, too, graduated from the eighth grade. Looking back, I realize now, there was something I really didn't know at the time. You. At this stage… have all the power to shape your life. You need to recognize that you OWN your future, and it's up to you to make it a good one.
I didn’t take this time you have here… and really grab a hold of that power. I graduated from middle school and then high school and then entered college at UAF following the course laid out for me by the people around me. I didn’t think about it. I never questioned where I was going. It was expected. And after three years of that, I took a break.
I moved to San Diego and worked in an ice cream shop. I used the following five years to figure out what I really wanted to do with my life. It turns out, what I wanted to do, was be here… with you all… today.
Do you know where you want to be five years from now? Do you know what career you want to pursue? Probably not...hardly anyone has that figured out by the time they start high school. It's time, however, to realize the possibilities before you and to ask yourself some important questions.
No, I don't mean questions of national importance, like who should win the presidential election or more important still who should win American Idol… but I mean personal questions about what your interests are. What YOU would like to do?
If you plan a career, what might it be? I still remember when I was ten years old my Aunt gave me a book to read. It is called One Child, and it is written by Torey Hayden. It’s about a teacher, and how she helped a child overcome learning disabilities. I didn't jump right up and know I would be a teacher, but I knew that the story interested me and that I admired the teacher for what she did to help that student.
That five years I took after I left UAF… and after I served all that ice cream… I reread that book I had received back when I was just a kid, younger than you are now, and it got me started on what turned out to be my career.
I didn’t take this time you have here… and really grab a hold of that power. I graduated from middle school and then high school and then entered college at UAF following the course laid out for me by the people around me. I didn’t think about it. I never questioned where I was going. It was expected. And after three years of that, I took a break.
I moved to San Diego and worked in an ice cream shop. I used the following five years to figure out what I really wanted to do with my life. It turns out, what I wanted to do, was be here… with you all… today.
Do you know where you want to be five years from now? Do you know what career you want to pursue? Probably not...hardly anyone has that figured out by the time they start high school. It's time, however, to realize the possibilities before you and to ask yourself some important questions.
No, I don't mean questions of national importance, like who should win the presidential election or more important still who should win American Idol… but I mean personal questions about what your interests are. What YOU would like to do?
If you plan a career, what might it be? I still remember when I was ten years old my Aunt gave me a book to read. It is called One Child, and it is written by Torey Hayden. It’s about a teacher, and how she helped a child overcome learning disabilities. I didn't jump right up and know I would be a teacher, but I knew that the story interested me and that I admired the teacher for what she did to help that student.
That five years I took after I left UAF… and after I served all that ice cream… I reread that book I had received back when I was just a kid, younger than you are now, and it got me started on what turned out to be my career.The same thing could happen to you. You might get a camera for a present, and decide that you want to learn more about photography. You might visit someone in the hospital and decide that you want to learn more about careers in health care. You might take an airplane trip and decide that an airline company might be a good employer. You might read a book about a boy wizard and decide that you want to become the best Quiddich player at Hogwarts. Well, maybe that last one is a bad example.
Chinace and Nicole, I know that you both are already well on the way to thinking about all this. Nicole, you want to build on your mechanical interest and aptitude. Chinace, you know that you want to explore your options at UAF (with Jackie) [smile at Jackie] and to choose a career that will be fulfilling and stimulating for you.
Chinace and Nicole, I know that you both are already well on the way to thinking about all this. Nicole, you want to build on your mechanical interest and aptitude. Chinace, you know that you want to explore your options at UAF (with Jackie) [smile at Jackie] and to choose a career that will be fulfilling and stimulating for you.
This here, right now, is your time to open you eyes to the things around you. The world is giving you hints all the time about who you are going to be.
There are careers in engineering, health care, education (be me! be me!), banking and finance, construction, service industries, science, military, computers, police work, retail sales, fishing, farming, entertainment, and on and on. There's plenty of opportunity to decide what you really want to do and to prepare for it.
There are careers in engineering, health care, education (be me! be me!), banking and finance, construction, service industries, science, military, computers, police work, retail sales, fishing, farming, entertainment, and on and on. There's plenty of opportunity to decide what you really want to do and to prepare for it.
You don't need to lock yourselves in yet. Take time to appreciate the fact that you've already accomplished so much. Then, decide just how you're going to enjoy the summer. If you have a chance, visit a college campus this Summer and see how it looks.
Oh wait… you are spending the summer with me, aren’t you? Well let’s be sure to pencil that in.
Then, continue your good work into high school. I never taught high school. So last night I went home and looked through my entire movie collection so I could figure out what you high school experience might be. I even found a movie with HIGH SCHOOL in the title. So now I know what happens there. It looks like most of your high school time will be spent dribbling basketballs in the halls while singing and dancing! SWEET! Have fun with that.
But, also, keep an eye on your future.
Watch your older friends and family and follow their lead. At the same time, you can serve as role models for those students coming along behind you. You have a strong community here in Oscarville, and you should use it to help you.
Remember, life is an adventure. In closing I want to congratulate the two of you and your families once again and to wish you both a bright future. Since I'm half Chinese, I'll put it this way, "Chen tu woo lan" With apologies, that's "Chiu-nuk-garrr-Bu-DiKKKK-nee chut Umm(theth) doot" in Yu'pik.
Thank you.
The eighth graders then accepted their certificates of promotion.
After that, the "real" graduation began. Each staff member was asked by our one graduate, Grace "Bunna" Joekay, to share a memory we have of her during her schooling.
The first to speak was Olga "Aanan" Mesak. Olga is the Primary/Yupik teacher here. She shared a story about Bunna's first day of school. The speech was in Yup'ik so I can't so much explain what the memory was... but the audience laughed warmly. Bunna look gleefully embarrassed so I bet it was a good one.
And then I stepped up again to deliver my second speech. This one was far shorter. AND it had visual aides.
Although I have only been here a year, I have had the unique opportunity to get to spend about 170 hours one-on-one with Bunna in this last year. Every morning at (AROUND) 8:45 we would squeeze ourselves into the library and watched a Video Tele-Conference for Applied Math.
One of our math labs involved creating a home plan to scale. I’ve blown it up for you here to see.
*have 8th grade promoters hold up the two pages of the map*
Interestingly, in addition to the staircase she constructed, the balcony on the top floor, and the artic entryway with TWO freezers… it seems she spent the most amount of time “tricking out” or decorating her kitchen and two bathrooms.
*reflectively look at the drawing*
At 8:45 am is she both hungry and needing a trip to the potty?
Don’t worry too much about her spending all of her time in the kitchen though. It seems she forgot to put in a door to get in there.
During parent-teacher conferences her mom, Eliza, once told me that as a kid she drew her future. Her home with her boats and her snow machines and other vehicles. And now… all these years later she has achieved all of those dreams.
I thought it would be a good idea to show you all this now. Because, it seems, like her mom, Bunna is a master at getting her dreams to come true. And Alex (dad)… you better start getting money and supplies together soon because she also calculated that this dream home of hers is going to cost about 1.35 million dollars to build.
(hand home to Bunna) I hope this one comes true for you too.
Congratulations Bunna.
Thank you.
After I spoke, Erin Kavanaugh, the high school teacher stood to deliver her speech. Erin is a rockstar of a teacher and a pretty kickass roommate to boot. Bunna is the first student she has carried all the way through High School to graduation. I tend to think this ceremony meant as much to her as it did to Bunna. Maybe more. Erin understandably got a little choked up at the start of her speech. The stress of all the hours getting the writing course work completed... the sleepless nights... the struggles of work undone... the triumphs of work completed. It all culminated in this bitter sweet, proud, moment of goodbye.
Oh wait… you are spending the summer with me, aren’t you? Well let’s be sure to pencil that in.
Then, continue your good work into high school. I never taught high school. So last night I went home and looked through my entire movie collection so I could figure out what you high school experience might be. I even found a movie with HIGH SCHOOL in the title. So now I know what happens there. It looks like most of your high school time will be spent dribbling basketballs in the halls while singing and dancing! SWEET! Have fun with that.
But, also, keep an eye on your future.
Watch your older friends and family and follow their lead. At the same time, you can serve as role models for those students coming along behind you. You have a strong community here in Oscarville, and you should use it to help you.
Remember, life is an adventure. In closing I want to congratulate the two of you and your families once again and to wish you both a bright future. Since I'm half Chinese, I'll put it this way, "Chen tu woo lan" With apologies, that's "Chiu-nuk-garrr-Bu-DiKKKK-nee chut Umm(theth) doot" in Yu'pik.
Thank you.
The eighth graders then accepted their certificates of promotion.
After that, the "real" graduation began. Each staff member was asked by our one graduate, Grace "Bunna" Joekay, to share a memory we have of her during her schooling.
The first to speak was Olga "Aanan" Mesak. Olga is the Primary/Yupik teacher here. She shared a story about Bunna's first day of school. The speech was in Yup'ik so I can't so much explain what the memory was... but the audience laughed warmly. Bunna look gleefully embarrassed so I bet it was a good one.
And then I stepped up again to deliver my second speech. This one was far shorter. AND it had visual aides.
Although I have only been here a year, I have had the unique opportunity to get to spend about 170 hours one-on-one with Bunna in this last year. Every morning at (AROUND) 8:45 we would squeeze ourselves into the library and watched a Video Tele-Conference for Applied Math.
One of our math labs involved creating a home plan to scale. I’ve blown it up for you here to see.
*have 8th grade promoters hold up the two pages of the map*
Interestingly, in addition to the staircase she constructed, the balcony on the top floor, and the artic entryway with TWO freezers… it seems she spent the most amount of time “tricking out” or decorating her kitchen and two bathrooms.
*reflectively look at the drawing*
At 8:45 am is she both hungry and needing a trip to the potty?
Don’t worry too much about her spending all of her time in the kitchen though. It seems she forgot to put in a door to get in there.
During parent-teacher conferences her mom, Eliza, once told me that as a kid she drew her future. Her home with her boats and her snow machines and other vehicles. And now… all these years later she has achieved all of those dreams.
I thought it would be a good idea to show you all this now. Because, it seems, like her mom, Bunna is a master at getting her dreams to come true. And Alex (dad)… you better start getting money and supplies together soon because she also calculated that this dream home of hers is going to cost about 1.35 million dollars to build.
(hand home to Bunna) I hope this one comes true for you too.
Congratulations Bunna.
Thank you.
After I spoke, Erin Kavanaugh, the high school teacher stood to deliver her speech. Erin is a rockstar of a teacher and a pretty kickass roommate to boot. Bunna is the first student she has carried all the way through High School to graduation. I tend to think this ceremony meant as much to her as it did to Bunna. Maybe more. Erin understandably got a little choked up at the start of her speech. The stress of all the hours getting the writing course work completed... the sleepless nights... the struggles of work undone... the triumphs of work completed. It all culminated in this bitter sweet, proud, moment of goodbye.
After Erin's speech, Bunna's mom, Eliza spoke. Eliza helps out with our pull out programs for Special Ed. She also runs an after school program. Eliza and her husband Alex (who is also employed by the school) have six kids. The eldest is Bunna. As you can imagine, they were very proud of their eldest daughter making it through to graduation. I heard that Bunna's graduation is the 4th in over a decade. With a school as small as ours, I am sorry to report, it is quite a triumph (and not necessarily the norm) that a student meet all the requirements of graduation.
Like Erin, Eliza's speech started out with quite a few tears. Tears from the speaker, the graduate, and over half of the adult audience in attendance.
After Eliza's heartfelt speech Chris introduced our guest speaker, and the only remaining member of our teaching staff, Barbara Ulroan.
Barbara was a graduate of Qugcuun Memorial having graduating in Oscarville in 1996 before attending UAF mostly through audio conference in Bethel, AK. By the time she finished getting her teaching credential she also was married and had two kids. She moved to the village of Atmautluk before moving back to Oscarville to teach in 2005. She teaches the Elementary School here.
Since her move to Oscarville she has had her third child. An energetic, strong willed, girl named AnnaLayne. Can you spot her in this picture on the left taken in the middle of Barbara's speech?
Peek-a-boo
Oh, and just because we're on the subject... here's another picture I snapped of AnnaLayne and Erin after the graduation ceremony was over.
After Bunna's speech, Chris, our Site Administrator, gave the short but important Principal's Address. Effectively wrapping up the ceremony. Nothing left after that but the traditional stuff that concludes all graduations.
And just in case you haven't had enough yet... here are some other random pictures taken from the day's festivities.
And for our final two pictures...
here we have the entire Oscarville Staff along side the honorees.
And...
presenting...
the crew I gush about far too often...
the entire Oscarville Jr. High...
P.S. One member of our household was noticeably unhappy with all of this time we have been spending away from home.
P.P.S. Before you feel too sorry for her, Macy was able to come to the slumber party that took place the following evening. Does this really look like a dog deprived of attention?
2 comments:
Whew! Bravo!! Bravo!! Congratulations, Bunna!
Well, documented.... You had better save some of this blogging energy for your Asia excursion!
I totally agree with Funky Punk! I hope this energy carries over to the summer trips planned!
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