Zach's Graduation

To follow up on the post about Zach’s Senior Soccer Night, Zach’s graduation was earlier this week, and we were pleased to be able to attend. So of course, here are a few photos from the night. Because you didn’t think I wouldn’t take any photos, did you?

Here is Laura before the ceremony started. She was happy to be there, since she had missed the baccalaureate service the day before due to a sick child.

And here is Jaylin with Laura. For some reason, he didn’t look as happy to be there. But he did enjoy it overall. And it won’t be all that long before it his his turn, too.

One of my favorite people, Doug Pinkerton, gave the pre-ceremony instructions. However, I think many people in the audience didn’t know how to take his very dry wit. So yes, that is just one of the ways that he influenced me over the years.

Zach’s back! And the backs of some of his classmates, too. Because when I took his photo as he was coming in, he suddenly turned blurry. It couldn’t have been due to my photo-taking skills, so he must have been shifting between dimension briefly right when he passed us. Strange. Also, I can completely relate to being the shortest one on the front row, since I probably held that same distinction 26 years ago.

The band played, including the senior members who were about to graduate. I’m not always a sappy emotional kind of guy, but this was the first part of the service that made me sniffle a little. It brought back lots of memories from when I was on that same stage with the band, especially at the graduation ceremonies. Plus, I always tell people that the band is a great place to meet girls. That is, after all, where I met the girl in the first photo up above. And if you are wondering, all of the audience people were looking at the rest of the seniors as they were coming in instead of paying attention to the band. Bands never get much respect, even when playing an overly repetitive song like “Pomp and Circumstance.”

Zach was the valedictorian, so here he is sitting on the stage at the left, along with the salutatorian. But it seems like it wasn’t all that long ago when Younger Zach was asking if the second person was called the “saladictorian.” And boy is that curtain red!

Here is Zach giving his valedictory address. It was fantastic, showing what a fine young man he is.

Later on, Zach got his diploma. SPOILER ALERT: He didn’t actually get a diploma. It was just an empty diploma cover. And that went for everyone, not just for him. I guess they were afraid he might do something wacky with his speech, like trying to burp the whole thing or something.

Here is the customary “throw your caps in the air” photo. Right after they were reminded of the orderly way to throw their caps, of course.

And here we are with the proud graduate and his diploma cover. Yes, the graduate was proud, but so were we. Way to go, Zach!