High School Graduation: How to Make It More Meaningful for Your Student

One of the most memorable days of one’s high school life is graduation day. The sight of toga-clad students lining up to get their high school diploma and the moment they are pronounced graduates with the strain of “Pomp and Circumstance” playing in the background almost always brings tears to a proud parent’s eye. And who says virtual high school students have to miss out on graduation, even when they are not enrolled in a brick-and-mortar school?

When your child earns his high school diploma online, you can take the opportunity to celebrate this milestone. There are actually graduation ceremonies organized by virtual high schools or parents of online high school students in a particular city. You can check what’s available in your area. You also have the option to hold your own graduation ceremony/party. Here are some ways to let your very own graduation ceremony more meaningful for the “star” of the show – your online high school student:

• Hold a graduation ceremony/celebration and invite loved ones and friends. This can be as simple or as elaborate as you want. You can hold it in your home, a restaurant or an events place. If you want something more elaborate, you can organize a graduation ceremony and ball with other parents of other online students. You can pool your resources together to cover the cost of the food, décor and other related expenses. Of course, you will need to talk about how many guests each of you can bring, considering your level of contribution to the event.
• Rent a toga in your child’s size. Graduation will not be the same without the requisite toga. There are a number of sites (as well as local rental shops) where you can buy or rent a toga.
• Take a photo. You have the option of having your child’s “senior” photos taken, with toga and all. The local studio usually has graduation packages that include studio shots and printing. If you are handy with the camera yourself, you can also DIY it at home and have the shots professionally printed.
• Do a frame-up job. If you can, obtain the online high school diploma ahead of time so that you can have it framed. There are two-sided frames that can also hold your child’s graduation picture. Present this during the graduation ceremony. You can also present other mementos, such as a time capsule (which you can plant during the graduation ceremony), a memory box or scrapbook.
• Distribute graduation announcements. With today’s nifty software and printers, you can create great-looking graduation announcements that can also serve as invitations to your event. Be sure to include your child’s name, the date and venue of the event, as well as the child’s future plans.
• Focus on the graduate. During the program, you can request your child to say a few words, his valedictory address, so to speak. This can be a time to thank parents, teachers and others who helped make his online journey a meaningful one. There can also be speeches from the parents, loved ones or friends. Of course, you should also ensure that speakers limit the length of their speeches so that the program will not be unnecessarily longer than expected.
• Have a ball! At the end of the program, you can celebrate with your child or allow him to enjoy his special day with his friends.