Winslow High School 107th Commencement

So tonight was graduation for all my seniors up here in Winslow, and now, at quarter past ten, I am finally home to blog about it . . .after a fun night of speaking, music, hugs, and picture taking.

Each year the senior class selects a faculty member to speak at the commencement exercises, and this year, for the fifth time in his tenure at Winslow, fellow blogger Mike Thurston (met) delivered a great speech making comparisons between "life" and "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." He alluded to his own mom in the speech, describing how she was like the "black knight" (if you saw the movie, you'll get it) for the way she has bounced back from a stroke and a heart attack . . .and is now dealing with a rare, incurable form of cancer. The entire field house audience at Colby College (I would estimate about 6500 people come out for the Winslow High School graduation) gave her a standing ovation in the middle of the speech . . .it was a wonderful moment. Below, Mike Thurston, Sean Keenan (our athletic director) and yours truly sit in our "guests of honor" chairs up on stage. Mike and are going out now . . . . For the fourth time in as many years as I've been teaching at Winslow High School, the senior class has asked me to compose an original song to perform at the graduation exercise. And, as with each year, I am only more than honored to be considered to do this. As a songwriter, I have to say that it is extremely difficult to write these graduation songs, since they have to be "about" something . . .for me, songwriting is about seeing what develops when you just sort of play with words and melodies, and usually I dont have any real "goal" in mind such as "this song is going to be about unicorns or greed or underpants" or something like that. But its a great workout for my brain, and I enjoy the honor and the challenge. This year's song was called "The World's All Right For Love," and it was written as a "combination" song, meaning that it is about graduating and entering the world of adulthood . . .but it also is about me in the sense that I am about to enter something completely new and challenging as well: Parenthood. Amanda recorded the song I performed tonight, and I have to say (and trust me, I am always way too self critical) that it came out beautifully--mostly due to Scott, the Colby sound man, with whom I've developed a good relationship with over the past four years. He always gets me sounding fantastic (well . . .speaker and microphone-wise anyway. . .hehe). But the song went well, and hopefully the lyrics touched some of the seniors . . . . Maybe we'll try to post the video online somehow.

After the ceremony, it is all about "picture time" and getting photos taken with "former" students. It is awesome to congratulate them, say goodbye and good luck, and get some closure with a good picture. We didnt stay too long this year, since I wanted to get Amanda home to lie on the couch, but we did get some good pictures to post:



Me and my student Sarah. She came a long way this year, battling constant migraine headaches that landed her in the hospital. A great kid. I also posted this picture because my dentist (and father of my student Matt), Dr Farrell, is sneaking his way into the picture (to the left of Sarah's head). I love when that happens in pictures. Years ago, you had to wait to develop the pictures and see what kinds of "surprises" lay in store . . .but with digital its all instant gratification.

Here I am with Meryl McClellan and her father. A sweet girl, and one of the top three best writers I had this year. Easily one of the nicest and most caring students in the school--I know that sounds cliche, but it really is true. She's a very popular girl, yet she both reaches out to and connects with everyone. Very genuine, and truly a class act. Plus, she goes to the pub a lot with her dad, and I see her there (she gets soda . . .) My student Cory, who is interesting because his girlfriend sees the same midwife we see, and she is due a few days after Amanda. So, as I keep telling him, "I'll see you at Thayer Hospital on Friday." Let's see if I am right . .. .I can't wait for my son to arrive!!!!!
Its nights like this when I feel like I have the best job on the planet . . . .