Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

The 'rest' of the area grads walk

The graduates marched in to Pomp and Circumstances. Graduate caps had the necessary tassels, even though some were on the wrong side from the beginning of the ceremony. The speeches may not have been the most eloquent, but theres little doubt they came from the heart.

Both Prescott Elementary and Nevada Elementary held kindergarten graduation ceremonies at the end of the school year. McRae Middle School held the eighth grade graduation and Nevada held sixth grade graduations. Area daycare facilities also graduated those who were leaving the program for kindergarten.

Graduations, after all, are actually events meant to acknowledge a step into another phase of life and commencement exercises are a chance for friends and family to honor that achievement. While the high school and college graduations that took place around the area over the past few weeks may have been more practiced and solemn, theres little doubt that those graduating kindergarten, sixth and eighth grades were just as proud of their achievements. That pride was echoed by family and friends.

Kindergarteners at Nevada sang the song of the grey squirrel who swished his bushy tail, and told the saga of those on a busy bus with wheels that go round and round, and a driver that says move on back.

Those students also used a poem to tell parents and friends of all the things they had learned during the year - colors, numbers, words and manners.

We can sit still, said Aarionna Allen, though she seemed almost unable to manage the feat for the ceremony.

Students who were reaching these milestones seemed genuinely happy to see family and friends in attendance. Perhaps their thanks and best wishes was summed up by Nevada sixth grade graduate Cameron Loe who said, Thanks for listening to my speech. I hope you spend your summer on a sandy beach.