There Won't Be a Happy Ending, but Maybe There Can Be a Happy Moment

Grab the tissues:

The graduation ceremony at Hanford High School on Wednesday almost seemed like any other.

The school’s band played the fight song, the program listed the class of 2009’s motto and flower, and the snapping shutters of disposable cameras recorded it all.

But it is November. And the ceremony was far from typical. A squirt of hand sanitizer was mandatory at the door. Boxes of tissues were scattered throughout the auditorium. And there was but one honored graduate.

Liz Evett was met by nearly 650 cheering peers, relatives and teachers as she was wheeled into the auditorium wearing a purple cap and gown.

“When we came in the auditorium and we saw all the people — whoa,” said Evett, who was diagnosed with leukemia three years ago and relapsed in April. “I am so thankful.”

The West Richland 18-year-old stopped responding to chemotherapy in June and was given weeks to months to live. She immediately began checking things off her “bucket list” of things she wants to do before she dies.

She has fed giraffes at San Diego Zoo’s Wild Kingdom, watched favorite movies again and met Mary Alice Yeskey of Baltimore’s Charm City Cakes.

But as Evett’s health faltered in recent weeks, it looked as if she wouldn’t make it to one of her goals — graduation.

“When we identified her as terminal, we didn’t think she would make it to her 18th birthday (in August), let alone the end of the school year,” said Evett’s stepfather Lyle Ivey. “She has days.”

You can read the rest of the article here.

She may not have much time, but at least she was able to have her ceremony. Kudos to all who worked to organize the event.

(and am I the only one getting a little sick of the idea of a "bucket list"? Maybe it's a little too jocular a term for an article about someone who's going to die before their 20th birthday? Just sayin'.........)

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Dr. Homeslice on Test Scores

I've pussyfooted around with issues like graduation requirements and test scores before, but the inimitable Dr. Homeslice said it better than I ever could. It's a great post that gets to the heart of standards and the graduation crisis in the country; I certainly hope he submits it to the next Carnival of Education.

Read it now.

Read more here, if any.

Someone Needs to Remind Them There's a Graduation Crisis

Really, the district couldn't find a better solution than the police?

COLUMBIA, S.C. - When Rock Hill school officials tell commencement crowds to hold their applause until the end, they mean it — police arrested seven people after they were accused of loud cheering during the ceremonies.

Six people at Fort Mill High School's graduation were charged Saturday and a seventh at the graduation for York Comprehensive High School was charged Friday with disorderly conduct, authorities said. Police said the seven yelled after students' names were called.

"I just thought they were going to escort me out," Jonathan Orr told The Herald of Rock Hill, about 70 miles north of Columbia. "I had no idea they were going to put handcuffs on me and take me to jail."

Airhorns, cowbells, yelling over the names of other kids--that's not OK, and that should be dealt with. But having someone arrested when they cheer the fact that a person they care about graduated from high school, which is a pretty good trick in some parts of the country? That's a waste of money and effort.

The next time this school district says, "We don't have the money for that!", I've got a brilliant way they can save some coin.

Read more here, if any.