This past Saturday, the senior class from the Evangelical Lutheran School crossed the stage to collect their high school diplomas! It was a beautiful afternoon to sit outside the school and hear speeches, songs, and congratulatory remarks for this new generation of graduates. Alma (the other YAGM I work with at ELS) and I enjoyed sitting with the teachers and watching as some of the students we had spent time with this year in English Club made the walk into the first stage of adulthood. It was really exciting!
Now, graduation here is nothing like what I experienced back in the States. Graduation here was Prom. All the girls wore beautiful ball gowns and the guys wore various "levels" of suits. Everyone had their hair either elegantly placed in a formal up-do, or at least sporting a fresh haircut. It was a lot of fun to see everyone all dressed up and ready to celebrate their accomplishments, 12 years in the making.
Now, the senior class has their governmental exams, known as Tawjihi. These exams are comprable to the SATs we take in the States, except passing Tawjihi determines whether or not you can continue on to university. In mid to late July their will receive their results in a day full of parades and celebration.
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| Wadi3, Jonathan, and Bayan, new graduates and former English Club members! |
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| Bishop Munib Younan speaking to the graduates. |
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| The ELS Dabke Folklore Dance Group performed for everyone and it was FABULOUS, as usual :) |
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| Me, Wadi3, Ms. Suhair, Jonathan, Alma, and Bayan. You can see some of the girls ball gowns peeking out from underneath their graduation gowns. |
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| Alma and I posed for a picture with the always dapper Salameh and Wadi3 (r-l). All the Bishara boys wore bow ties to graduation, and Wadi3 wore a full suit with tails! |
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| Alma and I get ready to dance the night away at the Graduation after party! |
"You are educated. Your certification is in your degree. You may think of it as the ticket to the good life. Let me ask you to think of an alternative. Think of it as your ticket to change the world." -Tom Brokaw
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