We had a great graduation ceremony on Sunday at Brandywine.

As I sat and looked at the senior class before the event and shook the hands of the new graduates afterwards, I felt confident in them and in the future for us all. Here are some ideas that ran through my head and my reasons for my optimism:

By the time they’re seniors in high school these students really have matured. Most of the discipline incidents, the drama and a lot of the social problems are behind them. There’s still some “he said, she said” kind of talk that goes on, but we all know many adults who can’t seem to outgrow that stage of their lives.

They have social skills around people. They know how to look someone in the eye and shake hands, they can carry on a conversation without getting tongue-tied, and they understand what it’s like to work with other people on a common task. They also learn how to deal with people from different backgrounds than their own. You can’t get this from going to school totally online, at some exclusive private school, or being home-schooled your whole life.

They aren’t afraid of the future, either. They have that confidence and spring in their steps that comes with youth, and whatever we can do to encourage that positive outlook and keep it going for many years, will improve the lives of all of us.

Classes of ’14 everywhere, we’re counting on you. Take your places with us as adults and we can make it, for sure.

 

John Jarpe is the superintendent of Brandywine Community Schools. He can be reached at (269) 684- 7150.