3 Quarters Today

My Life, my photography, my passions

Project 365

Day 161/365: Graduation Hats in The Air

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The moment every high school senior waits for, the traditional tossing their caps in the air at the end of the graduation ceremony. Always puts a smile on your face.

Graduation Caps in The Air
Graduation Hats in The Air

I have had four seniors graduate from high school and every spring I still get excited around commencement time. My son will graduate from college and although it seems as though the occasion should be celebrated with more fan fare it’s not the same as graduating from high school.

The end of high school marks not only twelve years of basic schooling but an entry into adulthood and the leaving behind of childhood.

To most 18 year olds it’s the start of a new life away from home, college, the military, moving away and living on their own without Mom and Dad hovering over them. It’s freedom to stay out as late as you want with no questions asked. I think the photo above says it all, pure joy.

Parents on the other hand tend to cry, weep and feel melancholy during May and June. Their baby is going away, they won’t hear their voices in the house and it’s the last pull of the apron string.

So what do you get a high school graduate to commemorate this special occasion in their life? How do you put into a gift what your heart feels yet give them something they will cherish and keep? If you think about it kids want money, but money doesn’t last.

I’ve asked my Twitter (I am @3Quarters2Day) followers what they suggested and I had many suggestions. Here are just a few.

  • Money (of course)
  • Gift cards
  • Movie Cards
  • Gas Cards
  • Then of course the gifts you can’t buy: a job, brains, common sense

 

Memorable Gifts for High School Graduates

American Tourister Luggage AT Pop 3 Piece Spinner Set, Black,Jeremiah 29:11 KeyringYay, You! : Moving Up and Moving OnWillow Tree Love of LearningThe Journey Begins with a Single Step – Pocket CompassVandor 17151 Dr. SeussCap and Diploma Charm Layered Over 2015 Penny Keychain –Seuss-isms! A Guide to Life for Those Just Starting Out…andSerenity Prayer Necklace Pendant – Dog Tag style (18.51001 Things Every College Student Needs to Know: (Like Buying

Graduation Around the Country

LSU seniors talk life after graduation

BATON ROUGE – While on campus at LSU on Wednesday, education reporter Leigh Guidry asked seniors in the Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture about what’s on their minds as graduation looms. Elizabeth Boudreaux, of Houma. “I’m thinking …
2015 TeamMates Graduation

TeamMates held their annual celebration ceremony Wednesday morning to honor 72 high school seniors who are getting ready to begin new chapters- the most the program has ever had. Coordinators say the goal of the program is to help kids reach their full …
Graduation Etiquette and Preparing for the Next Chapter …

Graduation Day is right around the corner, and there are many anxious parents in the middle of planning a perfect day for their grad. Celebrating this milestone is always more pleasurable when those involved are mindful of a …
Why taking a break after graduation is the best move to make

Taking a break after graduation is a great idea to relax and recuperate from all the stress. (Courtesy of Flickr user jamelah e.) As graduation inches closer every day, many students are worried about their future. The entire …
This might be the best graduation speech of all time

America’s colleges have already selected impressive graduation speakers this year, but it’s going to be hard for even Tim Cook and Samantha Power to outshine history’s greatest commencement speech. Although the choice …
Great Graduation Party Ideas to Copy ASAP | StyleCaster

If you’re stressing about planning the perfect graduation party, no worries! Here are some of the best ideas from Pinterest.

Day 160/365: Graduation Day Smiles

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Congratulations to all the graduating seniors at Elmwood-Murdock High School. My favorite graduation photo is still my son’s smile that radiated to his eyes. Can you find him in the photo? He’s the one with the big smile on his face. He spent the previous years of his childhood avoiding my camera, but here it’s almost like his eyes and smile is talking to me from across the gymnasium.

Even years later I look at this photo and get misty eyed remembering the day.

Graduation Smiles
I love the smiles on graduation day

It was a long and stressful day, but so worth it and a day this Mom will never forget. His graduation party was the week before and instead of him taking off after graduation to hang with friends he wanted to go with me to the parties. So to nine parties we went, eating cake, pulled pork, ice cream, and more food than I want to think about. It was a long day full of smiles and memories.

As a Mother of a graduating senior it’s hard to smile during the day and easy to cry. The day isn’t about what you’re losing it’s about what is in the future and the road ahead. Where is my son now? He is a United States Marine and looks quite a bit different.

A guaranteed way to bring smiles to the students and parents is to surprise them with small gifts and graduation tokens. Imagine the students going outside to their cars with smiley graduation smiley faces. Now that is a video I want to take. We only have an average of 32 kids in the graduation class so it would be an affordable gesture.

6 Smile Face Graduation Antenna ToppersGraduation Candy Lollipops 12ct.

One tradition we have at Elmwood-Murdock is the senior reception line, very similar to a wedding when friends and family shake the hands of the new graduates and tell them congratulations. I will often give them their cards in line in case I can’t get to their party. Graduation Lollipops would be a fun and cute remembrance of the day to tie with ribbons and a memorable quote to hand out in line.

 

Related Graduation Day Advice

Graduation Etiquette and Preparing for the Next Chapter

Graduation Day is right around the corner, and there are many anxious parents in the middle of planning a perfect day for their grad. Celebrating this milestone is always more pleasurable when those involved are mindful of a few simple courtesies.

A Memorable Graduation Day-Culmination of hard work and …

Life is exhausting; it is tedious, and sometimes full of impediments. The daily tussle of our lives might leave us in regret sometimes by the end of the day. Occasionally some things leave us more shattered. Convocation day …

Graduation Day Style | Witty ‘N’ Pretty

I want my graduation day to be special and Lilly says special to me. Better yet, it’s my very first Lilly dress! I’m not one of those girls who grew up wearing these expensive, bright clothing designs. My family didn’t have money to …

rticles

 

Day 159/365: Graduation Party, Friends

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Laughing with Friends
Laughing with Friends

I love watching my son laugh, it is contagious and when these two start laughing they can’t stop. My son, on the right, has been best friends with Luke for many many years.

Luke is a musical genius and his future includes a music major and composition. He co-wrote their senior song for graduation, and I was fortunate to sit in his Senior Project, which went over the writing, composition, performance and publishing process. I will post the performance in a few days. So stay tuned.

Photography Notes: Lesson learned, don’t talk pictures with sunny windows behind your subject. But it was the only place to put the cake table, so there wasn’t any other option. Even my flash it wasn’t enough to lighten up the foreground. Through the wonders of Photoshop I used curves, adjusted the highlights, and shadows to salvage this moment.

Day 158/365: Graduation Cake

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High school students graduate in Mid-May in Nebraska and graduation cakes start flying off the shelves. It’s different than a wedding, where the bride and groom will have a cake testing session before picking their baker. Graduation cakes are considered manadatory but at the parties in our area are more of a table decoration as the “real food” is what guest really anticipate.

Most people go to Sams or their local grocery bakery and get a cake.  My son and I had some amazing cake at a wedding we attended about a month ago. The baker was in attendance so I approached her and arranged for her to make his graduation cake.

Graduation Cake

I like supporting local businesses, and a fresh baked cake from Lynnn would be so much fresher and tastier than the cakes from Sam’s that receive frozen sheets by the gross and use prepackaged frosting. It didn’t really cost any more either. Thirty dollars for a half sheet.

Did I tell you my son graduated on his 18th birthday? That in itself was pretty special. He wanted a special birthday cake along with it and picked chocolate. Lynns double chocolate cake was to die for and many people asked who made the cakes. Total on both cakes $45.00, including delivery. Thanks Lynn

Birthday and Graduation Cakes
Birthday and Graduation Cakes

We didn’t have much cake left, all that remained was the picture corner and a small wedge of chocolate.

Most seniors from Elmwood-Murdock High School have their parties on the Saturday of graduation. The parties are pretty much the same, open house style with friends and family and lots of food. On graduation Saturday you can easily go to 9-10 parties, that’s if you’re fast. Halfway through the day you don’t want to look at another piece of cake.

I honestly feel bad for those families who buy full sheet cakes only to have a couple of pieces eaten.

Unique cake toppers and decorations are easily found in various locations, and most bakeries are open to their customers bringing in custom decorations to personalize your seniors special day.

Decorations for Graduation Cakes

MALE GRADUATION BOBBLEHEAD/CAKE TOPPER [Kitchen]Pink Graduation Cake Decorating KitGraduation Silhouette Grad Cap and Gown Edible Designer Prints Cake BorderYou Did It Grad Edible Cake Decoration

Other Graduation Party Ideas

Graduation Cakes – Decoration Ideas | Little Birthday Cakes

As the name suggests, graduation cakes are designed to celebrate the completion of one’s graduation degree. They can also be created for commemorating the.
Best Graduation Party Menu and Decoration Musts

graduation cake As the school year begins to wind down, the graduation party planning begins to wind up. From high school and college to kindergarten, the coming months will bring graduations galore, and such significant occasions call for memorable …
Throw your graduate a great party

Well, it is getting close to the time of year where graduation invitations arrive in our mailbox, and for some of you, your special ones are graduating this year. What a fun and exciting time. Today, I thought I would share some of my graduation party …
Unique Graduation Party Ideas

Flick photo by m00byIf you have a child that’s graduating, you’ll probably spend the majority of graduation day crying tears of joy. But afterward, it’s time to party and celebrate your teen’s milestone. So wipe off that smudged mascara, and check out …
Throw a “Throwback” Graduation Party

Relive the disco years of the 70’s or the totally awesome 80’s by throwing a retro graduation party. Parents can celebrate their child’s graduation by paying homage to their own year of graduation. You can help your child see just how similar and …
Best Graduation Party Menu and Decoration Musts

graduation cake As the school year begins to wind down, the graduation party planning begins to wind up. From high school and college to kindergarten, the coming months will bring graduations galore, and such significant occasions call for memorable …

 

 

Bohemian Rhapsody, Glee Style

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Bohemiam Rhapsody Glee style
Bohemian Rhapsody Glee style

The television show Glee has made show choirs popular and during last weeks Elmwood-Murdock spring concert the high school choir broke away from their traditional style of robes to give us a Glee or show choir rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen.

I talked to Mrs. Colbert, the vocal director, on what prompted her to try this and she actually had to be convinced by her friend Noelle, who is a choreographer at The Lofte Theatre.   Noelle had a goal to do such a project and was very convincing.

The students really wanted to sing Bohemian Rhapsody and had been requesting it for several years. The song was a reward for a good years work, yet Mrs. Colbert wasn’t convinced if the students would embrace dancing and adding movements. Remember, no one auditioned or signed up for a “show choir” and these students represent about 50% of the student body population.

Show choirs normally are not this big, and with the various personalities in such a big group there might be some ruffled feathers. There was, but their choir director diffused and redirected to create an overall positive attitude that thoroughly impressed.

This was the last concert for the seniors and they really went out with a bang.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c68bf2O6yZ8]

To watch and listen to this choir that earned superiors at  districts visit my YouTube Channel