Unsung heroes: Parents, teachers and others stood behind graduates

There was plenty of pride evident in the cheers and tears as hundreds of Wayne County seniors turned their tassels and took home their diplomas this past weekend during graduation ceremonies at high schools around the county.

There were also plenty of celebrations as the newly minted graduates officially said goodbye to public school and headed out to college, technical school or jobs.

They should have been proud — and they deserved to celebrate. They are now officially high school graduates.

But there are others, too, who should be beaming today as they recover from the weekend’s festivities.

Standing behind every graduate this weekend were many parents, teachers, administrators and other school staff who helped get them to those ceremonies.

For the parents, those diplomas represented years of getting their children up and ready for school, making sure they had their homework done before they went to bed, checking every report card and, most importantly, emphasizing the importance of education.

For every teacher and school staff member, those diplomas meant years of offering extra help or encouragement and making sure each student had the skills he or she needed to move on and succeed.

And those are just a few of the people who helped the Class of 2006 get where it is today.

So, parents and teachers, turn your tassels, too. You can take pride in knowing that you have set another generation on the right path. Now, it is up to them.

Published in Editorials on June 12, 2006 11:59 AM