I remember sitting in the front row of metal folding chairs right in front of the stage. My hair and white gown were blowing in the warm breeze, and I touched the medal and gold cords hanging around my neck as I waved to my parents and sister who were sitting in the row of chairs across from me. I was an academic varsity scholar, which is the highest academic honor that a student can be given in their last year of high school at my school.
I was so excited to be sitting in the front row with the other varsity scholars and I waited eagerly for my classmates to finish their speeches so that the principal would start calling the students' names up to the stage. I looked at my parents and sister who were on the edge of their seats with their cameras ready. They waved to me. Then the ceremony began. On the principal's word, me and the other 19 varsity scholars stood up. My heart was pounding in my chest. I looked out at the other 192 students in my graduating class who were still seated in their chairs. This was it! All my hard work had finally paid off! I had worked so hard to be here, standing up in the front row as all the other students looked up at me from their seats, wishing they had worked harder in school so they could be standing up first and not sitting down. All the snobs who thought they were better than everyone else and all the students who had made fun of me because I was smart, for four years, now looked like idiots as I stood proud with the other varsity scholars knowing that my accomplishment was a real accomplishment. I had never been more proud of myself in my entire life!
Then when the music began to play, me and the other varisty scholars headed toward the stage. One by one our names were called first before anyone else's. I inched closer toward the stage...My hand was on the rail...now my feet were on the first step, then the second, then the third, now I was on the stage facing everyone. I smiled at my parents and sister who were now snapping their cameras like mad and yelling my name and cheering for me. My name was called. I walked toward the principal, I shook her hand, I was handed my diploma by the gym teacher, then I headed down the stairs. My parents and sister were cheering wildly! I did it! I had graduated from high school! Excitement and relief flowed through my veins as I headed to my chair... I didn't want to sit down... I had so much energy! I wanted to just leap into the air and scream at the top of my lungs! But of course I couldn't do that, not until the end of the ceremony. I sat back down and flipped open my diploma. There was my name printed in bold black letters. I looked up at my parents and sister who were beaming with pride and watching my every move. This was such a special day and a gorgeous afternoon! The sky was bright blue, the sun was shining, and the the gold and maroon balloons tied to the stage were dancing in the breeze! I focused my attention on the other 192 students who were now being called up to the stage. I cheered for my friends and I clapped for everyone! For 3 hours the ceremony went on. Them the last name was called. On the principal's ending sentence, we moved our tassles to the left side of our caps. Then all the students tossed their caps into the air and cheered! Everyone was yelling and shouting, horns were blasting, whistles were blowing! Then the ceremony was over. As I placed my cap back on my head and headed back to the school, I couldn't wait for another day to come like this one when I would be walking across the stage again, looking out at my parents and sister and seeing them smiling at me and cheering me on! And now that moment is only one more year away................
