Originally Posted By JeffG >> "What about Cal State Bakersfield for crying out loud?!" << That would probably be a bit of a commute from Brookfield, Wisconsin. -Jeff
Originally Posted By imadisneygal Oh! I thought it was in Bakersfield. My mistake. Talk about unreasonable accommodation!
Originally Posted By mrkthompsn They need to hurry up and hang crosses front-and-center in the House, Senate, Oval Office and Supreme Court.
Originally Posted By dlkozy >>>"Don't high schools hold graduations AT the high schools, typically on their athletic fields any more? "<<< My son's graduating class of Seniors this year had over 600. His graduation was held at Arco Arena. All Seniors were given 6 tickets and additional tickets were available for purchase at $7 each. We had to pay $12 for parking. The Sacramento Kings only wish they could fill that arena the way our high school did this week! One of the nicer things about having it at Arco is food is available! We ate out at a nice restaurant beforehand but for those that didn't make the time-popcorn was available! :0)
Originally Posted By mele I think our high school has their graduation at Quest Field in Seattle. Since I live a block from the high school, I'm glad they don't do it at the school. That's a lot of traffic. ;-) They're about half way done with a major renovation of the school, however, so who knows what the future plans are? Maybe the school will be big enough. I'm not sure how seeing as there is only so much space and I don't think they're building any parkades or anything. (Wouldn't that be weird? LOL) As far as I know, all of the local schools use venues in Seattle. For a long time a church used the HS gym for their services. A lot of people were irritated by that but the school is open for anyone to use. It did turn out that this particularly evil church (Pastor Ken Hutchinson is a horrible man, both professionally and personally) was finally kicked out when they found out the principal, who also attended the church, was charging the church far less than he was supposed to. So, they're both gone now. :-D
Originally Posted By Dabob2 >>>"Don't high schools hold graduations AT the high schools, typically on their athletic fields any more? "<<< <My son's graduating class of Seniors this year had over 600. His graduation was held at Arco Arena.> <I think our high school has their graduation at Quest Field in Seattle...As far as I know, all of the local schools use venues in Seattle.> Well, I guess that answers my question! Suddenly I feel all old and grumpy. We had our graduation on our school football field with the parents sitting on hard wooden bleachers, and we LIKED it! FWIW, my graduating class was about 550, and it didn't seem a logistical problem to hold at the school. I could be wrong, but having them at other venues seems a fairly modern phenomenon, kind of like the "ratcheting up" of what proms used to be. And now a lot of kids to think they're "entitled" to it. We sweated out butts off on hard wooden bleachers and we LIKED it! And, by the way, get off my lawn.
Originally Posted By mele LOL Here's the thing about planning outdoor graduations in Seattle...not a good idea. Sometimes it's gorgeous (like it has been for the past few glorious weeks) but othertimes, it's like a monsoon. The joke is that summer weather arrives sometime *after* July 4th.
Originally Posted By piperlynne LOL I would guess that logistically, like mele said, the traffic would be the biggest issue - and parking. Most schools are in residential districts. How would you like 5 of every 300-600 graduating students relations parking in your petunias? I know a lot of outlying schools here - like Whidbey Island and smaller schools still hold them at the HS's, but anything closer into Seattle/Eastside etc usually has a larger number of students - unless its private. LOL Qwest field is outside. . do they have a rain plan? Do they march over to Safeco field and put the roof up? ;-) One of my sister's graduations was at the old Seattle Center Arena (pre Key Arena) in the early 80's. Trying to remember what that building is now. . .but I digress
Originally Posted By mele They might do it at Safeco instead of Qwest; I can't remember. It seems that they do plan for rain so maybe they put up tents or something. I don't know. My son doesn't live with me anymore and so we haven't gone through any graduation stuff. :-(
Originally Posted By ecdc >>FWIW, my graduating class was about 550, and it didn't seem a logistical problem to hold at the school. I could be wrong, but having them at other venues seems a fairly modern phenomenon, kind of like the "ratcheting up" of what proms used to be. And now a lot of kids to think they're "entitled" to it.<< Mine was held at the Huntsman Center, where the Utes play basketball. And I agree 100% w/ Dabob2. It's a modern phenomenon as "special" events become all the more special. It's not enough to have parents come and watch their children graduate for a few minutes, hear a speaker or two, and then go home. Now the whole extended family needs to come, we need to list off 27 different awards, we need to have a theme, etc. Tomorrow morning I'm going to my son's kindergarden graduation. I'm not kidding. I'm 32 - it's not like I'm an old man - and I remember when I finished a grade at school, we raced home, excited for the end of school, and went and played with our friends. My mom would secretly lament the end of the school year and begin counting down the days to the next one. That was it. No crap about "graduating" from kindergarden. The Incredibles had it right. We invent new ways to celebrate mediocrity and normalcy. It can't be healthy for our kids.
Originally Posted By mele << It's a modern phenomenon as "special" events become all the more special. It's not enough to have parents come and watch their children graduate for a few minutes, hear a speaker or two, and then go home. Now the whole extended family needs to come, we need to list off 27 different awards, we need to have a theme, etc.>> The thing that's the funniest about this is that every 18 year old in that room just wants to get it over with and haul ass to the parties afterward. As a parent, I can see why parents would want to celebrate it. It takes a lot of work to get your kids to that point and it's a bittersweet moment...but I also have ADD. I don't want to hear trite speeches while sitting on uncomfortable bleechers in the pouring rain/beating sun. I'd rather my kid go to a party while I go have a margarita (or three). ;-)
Originally Posted By ecdc As a side note, I'm starting PARKA - Parents Against Recording Kids' Activities. Must every single second be documented on the video camera? Can't I just go sit down and enjoy the moment as my kids play soccer, go to school programs, etc? I'm sick of watching everything through a viewfinder. Enough is enough - join the movement!
Originally Posted By DAR <<Tomorrow morning I'm going to my son's kindergarden graduation. I'm not kidding. I'm 32 - it's not like I'm an old man - and I remember when I finished a grade at school, we raced home, excited for the end of school, and went and played with our friends. My mom would secretly lament the end of the school year and begin counting down the days to the next one. That was it. No crap about "graduating" from kindergarden.>> Here's the thing, you're supposed to graduate from kindergarten. When I was in 8th grade some people had graduation parties. I never did nor did my sister. My parents said, you're supposed to graduate 8th grade and attend high school. Also my HS graduation and I attended a Catholic High School was in our gynasium.
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Originally Posted By alexbook Sorry I'm late here, but I just had to respond to this: >>Grandparent: "Why are you posing in front of a cross?" Kid: "My graduation was held at a church." Grandparent: "Oh, okay. What's for dinner?"<< All I can say is that you clearly didn't know my grandparents.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>Must every single second be documented on the video camera? Can't I just go sit down and enjoy the moment as my kids play soccer, go to school programs, etc? I'm sick of watching everything through a viewfinder. Enough is enough - join the movement!<< LOL! Sign me up.
