Moving up Day

Today I attended a tradition that is played out annually at my youngest daughter's high school. I have attended just four of these events, and probably will not attend another unless they ask me to speak or I win a lottery and start a scholarship fund.
This event is called "Moving Up Day", and it is held approximately one week before HS graduation, usually at the football field, and for some reason it always seems to be unseasonably warm and sunny, at least the four times I have attended.
It basically entails watching the Junior class and the Senior class enter the stadium and sit on hot aluminum chairs in summery frocks, and unfortunately for the boys, long sleeve shirts and ties.
Then we hear the speeches, and once again I wonder how someone can become a very well paid principal and still seem to have some public speaking issues. We hear the president of the current class, and the Saluatarian give a speech, some good, some just so so, causing one to ponder the education our students have just received over the past twelve years. But I digress. They are just young adults, speaking perhaps for the first time to such a large audience, and with so, so equipment, which is providing us all with just a little echo, I'm guessing in case we missed something the first round we can try to catch it slighty time delayed.
What all the parents, friends, and various fans of those students sitting on those hot metal chairs are waiting for of course are the scholarships and awards which are announced at this afternoon celebration.
There are many scholarships and awards, in varying amounts. Some I have heard of and some have been sought out by the students themselves, applied for and won. Pretty good for a bunch of eighteen year olds.

The second one I attended, I was very surprised and pleased to hear my oldest daughters name called several times. Grades, merit, need and the fact that she actually applied for the scholarships make a lot of difference. I was also surprised at the students I thought should have received some sort of stipend, only to be left sitting on those hot chairs.
Ah there was that tricky part, the students actually have to apply for these awards, and not all the students are in the loop enough to realize this fact. There are no announcements or flyers, they are just supposed to know. After all the guidance office is swamped, and individual attention is rare unless there is trouble...I know this because I have called the guidance office on occasion.

So today I sat for around two hours, turning pinker, due to the lack of sunscreen, and watched and applauded all the recipients, and the speakers, knowing that my youngest daughter would not be called up to receive any awards today. She after all knew about the route to follow but for whatever reason did not follow through on the submission of said scholarships applications. Perhaps she thought her grades were not up to snuff, or had other reasons.
Thats okay though, she will just have more student loans to repay after she finishes college. Her choice.

So this will be my last Moving Up Day, and although I have previously felt that familiar lump, when the seniors in an extremely orderly fashion leave their seats, and go to lower the flag, while the Junior class then takes the ceremonial Senior position, that lump was missing today. Maybe it was the heat or maybe my age, I am an "older" parent, who is meeting her goal mmade almost 19 years ago of not being in a wheel chair when her youngest graduates.

But I do wish the class of 2011 all the best as they pursue their next steps whether it will be college, the military, work, or (lordy please no) settling down and starting a family. It is tough times right now, making the right choice on which path to follow could determine how at least part of their adult lives will turn out.
My baby is not any more, nor her friends. Perhaps this is the first time I have looked at them in this way. Young adults, starting yet another chapter of their lives.
Now where did I put that aloe.