Graduation 2024 {Noah Style}

 Noah graduated NBHS with high honors this weekend.  He worked hard to get to this point, and though I am not always of the feeling that certain days should be the demarcated time for emotions or celebration - this was a great day.  We are grateful for all his friends and family who made the effort to be here for this day, as we are grateful for all his teachers (our colleagues actually) who supported him and helped him get here.  He has won scholarships and departmental awards in Art and AP English and was able to wear his decorations and medals as he walked.  I hope it made him feel good and helped him realize that he put in hard work and passion to these pursuits.

A few weeks before graduation, our school has a "Senior Week" wherein all seniors have something special to celebrate each day.  They go to Dollywood for a day (which Noah LOVED), or have picnics and breakfast to enjoy.  But the week culminates with the "Senior Walk" which sees the seniors walk the student lined hallways of the high school to cheers and applause.  From there, they travel back to each of their schools (primary, elementary, intermediate, and middle) to do the same.  

This was the most difficult moment of the season for Noah, as he walked the hallways of his youth, seeing his loving teachers and classrooms - but also revisiting the ghosts of his tougher times.  To walk in the very footsteps of your k-12 journey back into your modern life is powerful.  It is a beautiful and tough thing to do and made his graduation seem all the more real and final.  But by the time he actually walked across the stage and received his diploma - he was already gone.  

But wherever he goes next - we will be there with him, always.