I have been to many graduations. As Mayor and formerly as
an MP I have attended all kinds of graduations, for high school, junior high
school, elementary school, pre-school, hockey school, barbershop school, mechanics
school. I have attended university convocations, community college ceremonies,
and others.
This year marks the most important graduation I have ever
attended as my daughter, Emma, will graduate from Dartmouth High School and
head to university. Now I better understand the tears of pride that I have seen
on the parents of graduates as I suffocated in the heat on stage at the Dartmouth
Sportsplex for so many years. I couldn't be prouder of my baby girl as she
takes this major step in her life. It even eases the pain of re-mortgaging our
house to buy a prom dress.
I remember my own graduation, in the last century, from
Prince Andrew. As a baby boomer I was part of a graduating class of about 600
students as I recall. I must say that back then I really don’t recall thinking
that much about whether to attend university, it was assumed that I would go and
I did. Today's grads put more thought into their decisions and, I think, are
under more pressure to make the right choice.
In any event, this year is special for our family. And
our other child, Conor, is graduating from junior to senior high school. Now
that is definitely a much more celebrated advancement than it was when I moved
from Caledonia to PA.
But in this season of celebrating scholastic success
there are some ceremonies that are particularly heart -warming for me. On
Monday evening I attended the Dartmouth Learning Network learner celebration.
This wonderful organization is celebrating 30 years of helping adults who have
had challenges to their ability to achieve scholastic success.
With a very small part time staff (who are fabulous) and
a bevy of volunteers, they offer tuition free programs for adults with low
literacy skills, assist in acquiring high school equivalency and prepare for
employment. When these students graduate, it is a big deal. It is an honour to
listen to their stories of perseverance and success.
Many of us are able to coast through much of our learning
journey due to circumstance and natural advantage. Not so for these folks; they
have worked and worked to achieve their goals. (Check them out at www.dartmouthlearning.net).
Next week I will attend a celebration of graduates from
Pathways Spryfield. I visited them a few weeks ago, and was able to see them in
action. They support young people to stay in school, provide mentoring and are
making an incredible difference in our community (www.pathwaysspryfield.ca). Another
group that is working on ensuring that our students achieve their goals is
BridgeCat who use the Arts to reconnect students to educational attainment (http://bridgecat.ca ). Another of my favorite programs is the ACEE
program (Access to Community Education and Employment ). This unique program is
designed to help youth with disabilities to transition to further learning or
the job market (http://www.ilns.ca ). As well, I have attended the graduation ceremonies
of the FLECs program (Flexible Learning and Education Centres) of the Halifax School
Board.
To hear the stories of these young adults who have had to
make special effort to graduate is amazing. And the families who have supported
the grads deserve (and receive) special recognition as well as the students.
Here is the thing. We all congratulate our new grads, and
love to see them with pride and self-confidence. They deserve it. But there are
many graduates who have taken a longer, more difficult journey. In some cases
it is through absolutely no fault of their own. In some cases they will readily
admit that they made mistakes and made their own journey, and their families
journey more angst ridden.
In any event, to see people achieve their goal
is special. And when they have travelled a more difficult route it is even more
special. Congratulations to all of our graduates, of all abilities, of all
ages, of all circumstance. We need you all, and we wish you well. Enjoy your
special day
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