Pomp and Fire Drills

Tonight was Kelsey's 8th grade graudation from Percy Julian Middle School, held at Oak Park & River Forest High School. Once we took care of the crazy "stick on" collar, we thought we were good to go...
...right up to the point the fire alarm sounded, delaying the start of the ceremony by about 20 minutes. Turns out there was a theater performance in another part of the building, and the intense lights plus all the body heat from the performers and patrons set off the heat alarm in the room, triggering the alarm. Mandatory evacuation of the entire building ensued, so we all headed outside. At least it wasn't raining!

Once we all returned to the auditorium, the cattle call -- I mean, the ceremony -- began.

I didn't graudate from 8th grade, I simply moved on to high school. No fanfare. No robe. No ceremony. No party. I don't feel the least bit deprived. Finishing 8th grade should be, after all, the midpoint of your academic life, not the end. No one celebrates Wednesday the same way they celebrate Friday. School board member Peter Barber put it this way in his speech to the graduating 8th graders: "In Oak Park, we expect you to go on to high school, and we expect you to go on to college after that."

In spite of my somewhat cynical attitude about the 8th grade graudation ceremony, it gave our family a chance to celebrate Kelsey in a special way...

...and it gave Drew something to look forward to in another 6 years.

Congratulations, Kelsey. I really am proud of you!