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Graduation Grinch

By Lynne Bell

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听听听听听听听听听听听 I write this at the risk of being labelled a graduation grinch.

听听听听听听听听听听听 However, the recent decision by Regina Public Schools to ditch the traditional graduation banquet for something that all students and families can enjoy is a decision I wholeheartedly endorse.

听听听听听听听听听听听 As a proud graduate of a certain rural educational institution, I assume that grad banquets in this area are inclusive and still within the economic reach of every student who wishes to attend.

听听听听听听听听听听听 However, the graduations of my kids from a large public high school in Calgary confirm my suspicions that Regina has made a good call by nixing the city's public school grad banquets.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Superintendent of Student Achievement for Regina Public Schools, Rick Steciuk says, 鈥淥ne of the primary concerns we had was around equity,鈥� citing the cost of banquet tickets as well as the necessary limits placed on the number of guests a student could invite-especially since a typical city school grad class numbers in the hundreds.

听听听听听听听听听听听 听 This was the case at my kids' school. At my eldest's grad, each graduate was allowed to purchase three banquet tickets. After the initial allotment was distributed to the grade twelves, any unused tickets were re-sold to grads on a first-come, first-serve basis. By the time my youngest graduated, students were restricted to a total of three banquet tickets-one for themselves and two for guests. That meant grads had to make some hard-and potentially stressful decisions-about who to invite-especially if they had a family that included step-parents, close siblings, extended familiy members who wanted to attend, or a boyfriend or girlfriend who didn't attend the same school.

听听听听听听听听听听听 The cost of the banquet was also a concern and was not within the reach of some grads-even if they attended solo-and really, who wants to celebrate an occasion like graduation alone?

听听听听听听听听听听听 Whether traditionalists agree or not, activities in a public school setting-especially something as important as graduation- should be accessible to all students who wish to attend.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Steciuk says Regina Public Schools already hold cap and gown ceremonies in venues that allow 鈥渟tudents, parents, families and friends that want to attend.鈥�

听听听听听听听听听听听 He also states that an additional event to replace the traditional grad banquet is currently in the works that will allay one of students' biggest concerns-dressing up for grad. Steciuk states that this replacement event will allow students to wear a grad dress, a tux or a suit and 鈥渕ay not be free,鈥� but will be far less expensive that a banquet.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Regina Public Schools' decision is both admirable and pro-active. Recognizing that graduation banquets have become economically out of reach for many students and their families and replacing the banquet with an event that allows all public school students to celebrate their achievements earns the board top marks from me.

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Keeping graduation banquets important

By Kelly Running

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听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Grade 12 graduation is a fairly big time in students鈥� lives. It鈥檚 the end of what they knew for 13 years and time to embark on a different path: will you go to school, get straight to work, or take a gap year?

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Celebrating this milestone in an individual鈥檚 life is a big deal and for many getting to do that with their peers, the people that they鈥檝e spent that time with, and their families is an important part of moving on from high school.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Recently in the news was an article regarding the cancellation of the annual graduation banquet for Regina Public Schools. Apparently a letter sent to families of Winston Knoll grade 12 students stated that it had become increasingly difficult to ensure safety and celebration for all; essentially the size of the event has grown to a point that it is too large to celebrate.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Regina Public Schools will continue to hold a cap and gown ceremony for students and family, but remembering back to my own grad that was the least fun. Walk out, sit, walk up to the stage, sit, walk out. Sitting with your friends and eating a meal, seeing your family there with you, and enjoying the stories and toasts that went along with the meal was quite fun. Although we wore our grad dresses during the grand march, not cap and gown, so the entire meal we were pretty worried about spilling.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 There has been disappointment by many regarding the change in Regina with people pointing to students now having their own parties, which will be even less safe, because at least a school organized event would be monitored.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Additionally families have pointed out the importance of graduation for many youth. Within the Leaderpost video article titled, 鈥淭he annual graduate banquet is being cancelled by the Regina Public Schools,鈥� one individual brought up the fact that their son finishing high school was a very big deal, that him finishing his high school education was a huge milestone to be celebrated.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Cost of tickets is also a concern for the schools pointing to families unable to afford banquet tickets. Additionally part of the idea of the banquet is to be able to wear their suits and dresses, which has developed as a tradition in Canada.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 The banquet doesn鈥檛 have to be immaculately decorated or come with the fanciest food. Costs should be affordable for everyone and a solution should be found or at least another event which allows students to celebrate their success together should replace the banquet. Choose a smaller venue and limit the number of people that can go. For my grad only parents could come to the banquet, which limited how many people were there.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Schools need to find a way to continue celebrating this milestone with students because it is a big deal for many. They鈥檝e reached a point in their life that deserves celebration. Thirteen years of their life, the majority of their memories, are rooted in what happens at school; so, it needs to be celebrated.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Maybe the grad committees of each school should be deciding what they want to do within the parameters of school events. Organize fundraisers to cut down on the costs, but they should work with the schools in order to host a banquet because it is an important milestone for graduates.