Class of 2024 launches into academic future with opera
The graduates wore pink pig ears and cute little cardboard snouts.
During Thursday’s ceremony they enthusiastically sang out “Oink! Oink! Oink,” and howled like big bad wolves.
The 46 kindergartners at Gold Camp Elementary School were participating in their “continuation ceremony.”
Instead of endless speeches, they presented the “Three Piggy Opera,”a musical retelling of “The Three Little Pigs.” The students had worked on the show all spring, perfecting the lengthy lyrics, complete with hand movements and a very dramatic “I’ll blow your house down” moment.
Then came the more typical graduation ritual as they moved center stage to receive handshakes and hugs from their teachers. They also received colorful paper bags that contained a diploma and toys. (They were told not to open it until later.)
“These are the seniors of 2024,” Principal Kallene Casias said, referring the long academic journey ahead.
There were tears and cheers in the audience.
Those who came to see six-year-old Henry Charles Simon graduate took up one whole row. There were two sets of grandparents, Jim and Jane Mulkey of Colorado Springs, Bill and Dee Simon of Dillon, parents Dr. Jim and Emilie Simon, and Henry’s sisters Caroline, Anna and Margo.
“Henry has been very excited. He’s been talking about this for a couple of weeks,” said Emilie Simon.
Kindergarten teachers Landra Decker and Courtney Parker noted that continuation celebrations are important for kids, celeberating their hard work, giving them closure and reassuring them that next year would be great.
As the crowd mingled over chocolate donuts and apple juice, Henry opened the goody bag, glanced at his diploma for a second and moved on to the books and trinkets inside. About the celebration, he said, “It means like kind of special to me.”
Already he is planning his future. “I want to fly planes at the airport.”
Emilie Simon, smiling at her son, repeated the mantra of mothers everywhere on graduation day:
“He was so little when he started school and now he has grown so much. It goes by so fast.”
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Contact Carol McGraw: 636-0371 Twitter @mcgrawatgazette Facebook Carol McGraw
