Graduation!



This week we had our grade 1-4 Honor's Recognition and our 5th-grade Graduation.  Needless to say, it was QUITE different than our ceremony would have been in the states. 

First, students have quit coming to school already.  We have not had students for a week now.  They just came back today for the ceremony....and only the top 3 students from each class came.  The other girls are finished for the year.

Second, there was no practice or planning for the ceremony.  It seems to be a "decide as you go" process.  Also, people (mothers, children) were milling about all around the room during the whole thing.  Teachers were talking during the whole ceremony and phones were ringing.  They passed out food, tea, and water all through the audience during the presentations.  My head was swiveling constantly watching the whole process.  There were so many distractions, I forgot the girls were going up for their certificates.  Before the 5th-grade girls could be called up to "graduate," all the younger girls were leaving, their mothers and siblings were walking right in front of the microphone and talking and taking pictures.....

The stage was decorated and gifts for all the girls were placed on a table at the edge of the gym.  During the ceremony, they decided it would be better for the gifts to be front and center, so they moved them.....and dropped many of them....during the ceremony.

The workers trying to move the table full of gifts.  This is right before the "Great Fall."

The girls were all dressed in their Celebration Clothes!!

Girls waiting to go up to get their certificates and gifts

These are the Grade 1-4 Honor Students on stage (top 3 from each classroom)

5th-grade Graduates

As the ceremony ended, teachers shot "poppers" (or confetti) on the girls and sprayed what looked like shaving cream on them.

Poppers going off!

These are 3 of my top 6 students.  These girls were SO wonderful this year!!  I know they will go on to be excellent students!

After the graduation, Malak presented me with roses.  She's such a sweetheart!!

I went home and presented the roses to Kim for Father's Day--LOL!!

Kim also had a visit from the Grandpuppy for Father's Day.....Oh, and Cory and Heather came too!  LOL!

It was "back to the lake" for Blue!

Best stick-thrower award for Cory

Come on, Daddy, Where's my stick??!!

Then, Blue got a banana toy, hamburger toy, and squeaky toy surprise from the mall!!