This post is dedicated to the graduating class of 2016 at
the Science & Arts Academy, where I am lucky enough to work with such
wonderful students.
What does it mean to be an SAA graduate? When you graduate
from 8th grade it can be a bittersweet time in your life. On one
hand, you are excited about the prospect of making new friends, taking cool
classes, and maybe even trying out for the high school team. Yet at the same
time, you have mixed feelings about leaving a place that you have called home
for so many years.
When I was hired at our school 7 years ago, you were a
scrawny group of 2nd graders with smiles that lit up a room. You
were a quirky group of kids, especially when one of you wanted to donate their
“lethargic brain dead cat” as a class pet. But you were curious too. Anything I
showed you in science class you seemed to ooh and ah over. As second graders,
it seemed that I could show you a dust bunny from underneath my couch and you
‘d think it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. I cried when I was
promoted to the upper grade science teacher that year, but I knew I was leaving
you in very capable hands and that when you came to middle school we would meet
again.
Some of you are new to SAA and haven’t had the full SAA
experience such Mr. Solberg demonstrating how to heal, making a commercial for
Mr. Bayer’s drama class, but this class has all survived my favorite, the
dreaded 7th grade sludge test of Chemistry. You manage to separate your elemental compounds without blowing up the school lab; we are forever grateful for that! Whether you’ve been here
for your entire elementary school career or you came within the last two years,
you are part of the SAA family, and you will remember the friendships you’ve
made these past years. More likely than not you will remember these times
fondly and someday share stories with your children and grandchildren about
your former classmates, along with how many bowel movements you've had that week, and nature of kid's today being no damn good.
You will remember Leon and Juliana’s artistic talents. You
will remember the bridge that Emilie built that had the amazing efficiency
rating. You will remember the bubbly personalities of Jude, Julia, and Masha
skipping down the hall, Mark and Benjy’s quick wit and dry sense of humor,
Martin’s one liners that are spot on, the time that Matt, Izzy, and Emily, all
went to Nationals for Science Olympiad and Internationals for CMPS. You will
remember Jeromey telling everyone that I’m really a country western music fan,
even though I denied it. Okay Jeromey, it’s true; I actually do like some country music, but let's just keep that secret to ourselves. You will
remember Claire’s strength when she stood up for what she believed in; you will
remember, Sophie’s artistic dance, Jenna’s ability to check any hockey player,
Szymon’s smile, Celina’s quiet demeanor, and Anna’s cat ears and tails that she
wore quite often. You will remember Marshall’s dance moves both on and off the
stage, Meilyn’s ability to soar as Peter Pan, Finn’s obsession with all things
Apple, seriously, dude, give Android a chance, and Grahams beautiful poem that he wrote and recited at the graduation,
which by the way, was his very first time to ever speak in front of an
audience.
When I looked at my Facebook account, yes, I am making
reference to that social networking device to where we share our cares, our
burdens, our triumphs’, and our high scores for fruit ninja and candy crush, it
occurred to me that most of my contacts are from grade school. It isn’t that
you won’t make long lasting friendships in high school, you will. It’s that
they will be different. You might have one friend in a couple of your classes’ freshman
year and then not even see them again until senior year passing in the hall. You'll wonder how the heck that kid got so tall and has so much facial hair. You’ll take in-depth classes in high school, and have hours of homework each
night. You will go to football games, basketball games, school plays, and have
a world of opportunities of extracurricular activities to choose from. Heck, you may even attempt to ask someone out to a school dance and your parents will proudly post every single picture of you in your suit or dress on social media, just like they did when you were a kid and lost your first tooth or had your first dance recital. In high
school, you will take the PSATS, the SATs, and the ACTs. You will scan college
brochures, visit college campuses, hopefully decide on a college path and get
into the university of your dreams. You will also learn to drive in high
school, God help us all when that finally happens. You should see what some of
these guys did with my dynamics carts in Physics this year.
Most of you will find that you do well in high school due to
the fact that you are highly gifted in some areas and have been well prepared
by my colleagues and me. Think about the education you have been given from the
highly qualified teachers all who are passionate about what they do. You croon and
play with the best of them because of the fantastic music department. Your art
is meaningful and proudly displayed, Shakespeare is
like child’s play from the teachings in both our drama and
literature classes, and math isn’t scary at all; well, okay, it’s
math, maybe a little scary for those of you who hadn’t had a chance to take
Algebra II, and even then it's still scary, because, hey, it's math. And when your future science teacher asks if anyone knows what
momentum or impulse is, you’ll proudly describe how you designed an egg device
to withstand an egg being dropped from the gym ceiling some 30 feet in the air,
and how 5 of your classmates all tied for the coveted extra credit for having
indestructible devices. You have ben given an education that isn’t available
everywhere and to just anyone. You’ve been given advanced classes, accelerated
concepts, meaningful class discussions, and guidance from all of the teachers
at SAA. From the gym antics and crazy hats the gym teacher wore to the months of work
on the History Fair. You covered more Latin than just et tu Brutus and kicked butt at Certamen meets, which for those of you like me who didn't know about them are contents for geeks who like Latin. Who knew kids would be so into wearing togas and shouting out, Barba tenus sapientes. And many
of you will use your Spanish and French skills when you travel abroad.
Hopefully, we have done our job and prepared you well for
your future endeavors in addition to helping you realize your potential. It is
also my hope that you will remain in contact not only with us, as we will be
curious how you are surviving and who you will become someday, but that you
will also continue the friendships you have formed here. Friendship isn’t about
whom you’ve known the longest – it’s about who came and stayed by your side,
and never left you when you needed someone the most.
While having dinner with one of my friends from grade
school, we were discussing our jobs. I had the opportunity to share with her
what it is I get to do everyday. Though we may have some challenges here, out
of all the jobs, I have every had and of the schools I have worked, I am truly
the happy here at SAA. I not only have smaller class sizes but classes that
welcome the rigorous challenges we offer and get our quirky and sometimes corny
jokes. I enjoy the fact that I can be the geek I was in grade and high school
by finally having others who appreciate a good science joke and are fans of
Doctor Who! My friend said to me at dinner, “Colleen, you are changing the
lives of those kids there.” And I thought about that and said, “No, no they’re
ones who’ve changed me. I’m a better person for it.”
So, that’s what it means to be an SAA graduate. You have
made lifelong friendships, and touched the lives of those who had the wonderful
opportunity to get to know and teach you. And for that, I say thank you.
Graduate, you have made us all so very proud! Go forward holding your head
high, because you are now alumni of the Science & Arts Academy. Congratulations
to the class of 2016!
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