URBAN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION...

Hey y'all!

I just got home from the high school graduation of my third son. 3 down...1 to go! It was really interesting. They don't do it like when I was in High School. Back then every school had their graduation at the school...either in the football stadium, or the gym if it rained.

Now we have this fancy arena where all the schools in the Parish graduate. It's okay I guess, but I think I liked the old way better.

"Let Me Out Of Here!!!!!!!!!!"

Anyway, my third son graduated from the same High School that I did 31 years ago. The school is a whole lot different now. His class graduated 130 kids. This was the 91st graduation ceremony of BHS. The first class of seniors back in 1917 stood 6 strong. The town grew, and by the time I graduated in 1977 my class was 285 (I'm pretty sure that's right). But the school gets smaller and smaller every year. The "feeding" neighborhoods have aged...the population of the city has moved north and south away from the old part of town.

But it is still a great place for a kid to spend their high school days. The convivial spirit, and demand for discipline is very familiar to me as I think back on my days at BHS.

As I sat there and listened to the speeches, and watched the ceremony, I thought about all the struggles that some of those kids have overcome...and God help them, all their struggles yet ahead.

There was one young black man who was obviously handicapped. He was at least a foot shorter than the shortest girl. He had a devil of a time walking, was having a hard time keeping his cap straight, and his "one-size-fits-all" robe was dragging the floor. When his name was called, he struggled across the stage to receive his diploma from Principal Thrash. Thunderous applause erupted...screams of joy came from every corner of the arena! There is a life-long struggle in that diploma of his for sure...probably more than I even imagine.

Then there is the story of the BHS Class of 2008 Valedictorian. This young man, one Brian Vasquez-Ruiz is quite amazing. The Times of Shreveport did a feature article on his story yesterday. You can read it here. Trust me, it's worth a read.

Just a quote: "I think most of my teachers would just call me lazy and lucky."

But for those who know Brian, he's hardly lazy. In addition to staying atop his grades, he works about 55 hours each week at Don Juanz Baja Beach Tacos in Bossier City.

"I have very late nights. On average, I'm in bed at 2 a.m., and I wake up at 6 a.m. I've had a hard schedule, but you learn to live with it after a while," Brian said.

"I have to help provide for my family. My mom's a single mother who's had to raise me alone for the last seven years..."

It was a good day. It brought back a lot of memories. It heartened my hopes for our nation...a bunch of "good kids" are still out there friends.

Phillip, of course, had to ride his motorcycle to the arena...no riding in the car with his parents. It was kinda funny. When everything was over, the Mrs.' mother (I guess that she would be my "Mrs.-in-law") wanted to take a ride on the bike with him (she's a braver woman than I am for sure).

Phil & The Mrs.-In-Law leaving the CenturyTel Arena

Well, Phil has his PRK eye surgery next Thursday. It got put off a week due to the fact that he has to be pretty well laid-up for a few days, and graduation weekend is not a good time for an 18-year-old to be laid up.

He's at a crawfish boil right now at his best buddy's house, along with some other classmates. I hope that they stay "close," and not let good friends drift away like I did. God bless him, and the Class of 2008! They're gonna need it...