Congratulations Graduates

I love graduation day! It is a celebration of all that you have accomplished - not only in high school, but really from your very first day of Kindergarten. There is such joy and excitement seeing all of you in your caps and gowns. I love to watch as you march in and try to search for your families in the stands and then, of course, watching when you receive your diplomas and are officially high school graduates. There are just so many reasons to smile!

Although I wasn't able to get a picture of each of my students, I wanted to share a few of the pictures that I was able to capture...

(L to R): Alexa Dauphin, Paris Cyrus, Jamie Cosner, Conor Corcoran, Hunter Coldiron, Michael Coen, and Raeshawn Cason

(L to R): Liz Bates, Paul Barrie, Jimmy Barbin and Patrick Archambeau

(Front to Back, Left to Right): Ashly Butler, Brianna Bare, Lea Araya, Justin Anthony, Nick Anderson, Chelsea Brooks, Anna Bright, Hunter Bonvillain, Alexa Dauphin and Paris Cyrus

"My" Graduates with Highest Honors - (L to R): Emily Cantrell, Jenna Boue, Lauren Barnhart, Lindsey Bauer, Naomi Barnhart, and Katie Dyer

(L to R): Justin Anthony, Nick Anderson, Nick Ambrozich, Zach Alexander, Ryan Adolph, Tosin Ademodi and Sarah Adams

(L to R): Lauren Barnhart, Ryan Adolph and Lindsey Bauer

(L to R): Chelsea Brooks, Anna Bright, Hunter Bonvillain, Lexi Bond, Austin Bollinger, Luke Bogatay, Izzy Benzegala, Sean Baumgardner, and Jimmy Barbin and in the row behind them, but making an appearance: Conor Corcoran and Hunter Coldiron

Grace Ellis and Nate Deagle

What an awesome day to celebrate your accomplishments!

Ms. Schwartz was on the other side of the room, but I liked this picture she took as you all tossed your caps into the air as your ceremony concluded.

2 of Kilbourne's most recent alum's - Rosan Eldadah and Katie Dyer

Jimmy Barbin shows off his diploma

And last, but certainly not least, Michael Dillow, a 2013 Hall of Fame Inductee

Congratulations to the entire class of 2013!  I am so proud of you all!

Memorial Day and Exams

I hope that you had a relaxing Memorial Day spending time with your family and friends. I also hope that you had the chance to pause and reflect on the meaning behind this holiday. Today I am thinking not only of those who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and for the families they left behind, but also for all who have proudly served to make us the home of the brave. God Bless America and all who have made the choice to serve! 

I also hope that you spent time over the long weekend studying for exams!  My assumption is that you know the exam schedule for the next few days, but if you have misplaced it - check out my post from last week for the exact schedule.  Good luck on your exams tomorrow!

It's Graduation Day!

Congratulations Class of 2013 - today is your day!

In just a few short hours we will be at the Battelle Grand in the Greater Columbus Convention Center for commencement.  If you didn't give your parents the information sheet that was distributed at Friday's practice, please make sure you find it and hand it to them.

One of the most important details that seniors need to remember to pass along to their parents after the rehearsal is which side of the stage you will be on at the commencement ceremony. As a general rule, assuming you are one of my students, you will be on "Stage Right" which means that if you are standing on the stage you are on the right side or, put another way, looking at the stage you will be on the left side. This is the side where you will march into the Battelle Grand and around until you reach your seat on that half of the center aisle as well as the side where you will go up the stairs to receive your diplomas. Trust me, your parents will not be happy if they end up being on the "wrong" side and don't have a good view of your special day.

Don't forget that you need to dress up beneath your cap and gown and that you should be sure that you bring your cap and gown with you to the ceremony.  You need to be there around 3:00 to check in.  

For what it is worth, don't forget to iron your gown - especially if you are just taking it out of the package today.

Perhaps the best recommendation that I can give to you and your families is to pick a place where you will meet up - and more specifically, a place that is NOT near the bottom of the escalator.  I realize that most of you haven't been to the site of today's ceremony, but I can assure you that the most chaotic place to be as soon as the ceremony is over is anywhere near the bottom of the escalator because everyone who attended the graduation ceremony will be trying to leave and coming off the escalator to try to find and meet up with their families and friends.  

It is going to be a great day and I cannot wait to see all of you enjoying and celebrating your accomplishments of the last 4 years at WKHS, but really of your entire educational careers.  Congratulations, I am proud of you!

Baccalaureate

I suspect that it is not a huge surprise to those of you who follow my blog with any level of consistency that any activity or accomplishment that “my” students are a part of is something that brings me great pride and excitement. Reaching the end of the school year and all of the graduation related festivities are among some of the most special moments for high school students and their families.

In my opinion, graduation weekend truly kicks off each year with the Baccalaureate service. Held annually at a local church, this activity is sponsored by the Activity Club and celebrates the accomplishments of the WKHS seniors, honors the impact they have left on the school and community, and wishes the seniors good luck as they move on in life toward the exciting activities and adventures ahead.

As a part of the inspirational service, one of my students, Naomi Barker, put together the photo slide show which was so fun to see.  It is amazing to look at the baby pictures and the pictures of each senior now and think about how far you have come and all you have been through.  Add in the fact that the video was to music and it was a special part of the ceremony.  Additionally, the parents of one of my students, Kelly Baumgardner, (mom of Sean) was the parent speaker and she gave a wonderful and touching talk!  I loved what she shared and wondered how many seniors thought to themselves, "wait, I've heard Miss Abbott use that quote too" when she quoted Steven Furtick about we compare our behind the scenes with other people's highlight reels.  Very true and a wonderful message from a passionate, caring and dedicated mom.

Throughout the service I am confident in saying that I was not alone in thinking of special moments and memories with the seniors and offering up prayers of gratitude for the people you are today and the impact you will make on this world in the future! I wish all of you the best and hope that this was just the start of a wonderful and memorable weekend.

A Letter to "My" Seniors

To “My” Seniors,

Congratulations!  Today was your last day of school and I am so proud of you and all that you have accomplished over the last 4 years.  It was my honor to be able to join you on your journey through high school.  You have grown and changed in so many ways and I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for you. 

For most of you high school has had its share of ups and downs.  I have been so proud as I watched you achieve your goals in the classroom, the athletic fields and creatively through music, theater and art.  I have been encouraged by your strength – the way that you will stand up for what you believe and follow your heart and beliefs.  I have been inspired by your kindness – the way you reach out to encourage, support and care for those around you.  I have been brought to tears alongside you demonstrated courage as you faced difficult days and struggled to find your way through experiences I and many others could barely imagine.  I have been uplifted by your delightful sense of humor – with the stories of daily life that never cease to bring a smile to my face.  I have spent many days shaking my head because your class certainly has an interesting mix of perfectionists and procrastinators.  You excel in areas of interest and passion and you have, unquestionably, left your mark not only at Kilbourne and in the community, but also on my life.

I am grateful for each of you.  You have made me a better person and you provide hope when I think of all you will accomplish in the future.  And so, as you leave high school behind, I hope you will look back on your four years with a sense of accomplishment and pride.  I hope you celebrate your achievements and look forward to the future and the possibility which lies within you.  And I hope that you will always know that you were cared about and have people (like me) who will be here believing in you!

Best wishes for a bright future and please keep in touch!

Congratulations and Good Luck,

Miss Abbott

PS – Tomorrow is graduation rehearsal.  You will need to be at WKHS by 9:00 in the auditorium.  You do NOT need to wear your cap and gown for the practice.  In fact, rehearsal is a relatively boring experience so I would suggest that you bring something quiet to do (read, draw, play on your phone, etc.) while you are waiting.  Ultimately the practice will be worth it though to make sure you have a positive and memorable commencement ceremony on Sunday.

Senior Project

Today, the seniors who participated in Senior Project spent several hours in the commons showcasing their experiences and accomplishments. 7 of the students participating were "my" students including (L to R): Maria Calvert, Katie Dyer, Naomi Barker, Patrick Archambeau, Hannah Vincent, Grace Ellis and Hunter Bonvillain. 

Senior project is a great opportunity for Kilbourne students.  Seniors who elect to participate in senior project spend the last month of their high school career out shadowing and assisting at various career sites.  My students selected a wide range of careers including (among others) fire fighter, defense attorney, marketing/ public relations representative, teacher, and civil engineer. This opportunity allows students the chance to learn more about what a career involves.  This up-close, in depth look at what a job really entails enabled the students to decide if this specific career is what they'd like to pursue in the future.  In talking with the students today some felt that this experience solidified their future plans and others felt it was valuable because it helped them realize that this was not the job they wanted to pursue for the rest of their lives - valuable information either way. It sounded as if they all had meaningful and informative experiences during the month as they spent time in a career field of interest. Congratulations and Great Job on your Senior Projects!

Final Exam Schedule

The countdown is on - final exams will begin in just a few days and another school year will conclude. 20% of your grade will come down to this one test, so it is important to study now so that you will be completely prepared for your exams. Remember, the time you put in now will determine how well you do on your exam, so please take the time to study!

For those of you needing a reminder about the exam schedule:

Tuesday:

7:45 - 9:45 2nd period exam

10:00 - 12:00 5th period exam

12:00 - 1:00 Lunch

1:05 - 3:05 8th period exam

Wednesday:

7:45 - 9:45 1st period exam

10:00 - 12:00 6th period exam

12:00 - 1:00 Lunch

1:05 - 3:05 7th period exam

Thursday:

7:45 - 9:45 3rd period exam

10:00 - 12:00 4th period exam

12:00 - 1:00 NO Lunch Provided!

1:05 - 3:05 Exam Make Up Period

Seniors, I assume you know this already, but your exams begin tomorrow.  Good luck!