Commencement address

Getting schooled

The sanctuary in Little Rock's Fellowship Bible Church was steadily filling to capacity. The church was far beyond what I expected after strolling into its multilevel auditorium to deliver the commencement address to graduates of the program administered by the Home Educators of Greater Little Rock.

In the center of a large stage, a lonely podium and microphone waited to hold my handful of notes.

Butterflies? Me? Pshaw! Just because I was expecting perhaps as many as 300 to attend the 2016 graduation and the actual number taking seats was closer to 1,500 didn't mean my message to these 66 fresh faces with blue gowns and matching mortar boards would change, right?

As the evening's program moved toward my cue, I saw most of those I was about to address were brighter than this old fella who'd be talking to them. When stage lights trained on center stage at 7 p.m., I was immediately impressed with two students who began the ceremony by performing a laugh-out-loud interview farce about stereotypes of "geeky, sheltered home-schoolers."

I was to follow graduate and class speaker Emma Richardson, who left those in the jam-packed sanctuary riveted by her message about how damaging it can be to one's spirit to be dissatisfied with achieving personal "excellence," rather than being continually frustrated by expecting "perfection."

Using expressive hands and trained voice inflections, Emma drove home how important it is for them to be content with simply doing the best humanly possible at whatever task. To be disappointed by expecting anything less than unattainable perfection in whatever we undertake only sets us up for anxieties, unhappiness and worse.

Perusing the professional program containing photographs and biographical sketches of each graduate, which detailed personal, academic and athletic achievements, the reality of what they've already achieved quickly became evident.

Most were bound for higher education. Some already had completed college classwork. All had definite plans, inspired in large measure by their parents, as well as the abiding Christian faith they openly expressed.

I'll share Emma's partial biographical sketch as an example: "She has been home-schooled for 12 years and been involved in numerous groups such as the Central Arkansas Fencing Club ... and has participated in voice recitals with the studio of Kira Keating. She also competes locally and nationally in the speech and debate forensic leagues. Emma plans to attend college and study creative writing with a pre-law emphasis."

Excerpts from other personal sketches were equally revealing.

"He's an Eagle Scout who played four years on the Flames varsity baseball team."

"She completed the Big Dam Bridge 50-mile bike ride three times in high school."

"She's the four-year president of 4-H, lifeguard and a swim instructor."

"She has her own YouTube channel and will attend Hendrix College majoring in economics and playing on the golf team."

"He's an honor student, gymnastics instructor and 2015 All American Cheerleader Medalist."

"This fall, she will become a Donaghey Scholar at UALR and double major in Spanish and Communication Sciences and Disorders."

You get the picture. And each of the graduates offered resumes along the same lines.

My remarks to the class were about them, not me. They pretty much centered around giving more than they took and treating everyone they meet "exactly as you'd want them to treat you, even if they don't deserve it."

Then we all shared a prayer for them and their parents. In a very real sense these mothers and fathers also were graduating this evening, for it was their dedication to personally seeing their children receive a thorough and relevant education, and they who'd led them tirelessly toward such a milestone moment.

I asked these committed parents to stand and be recognized for what amounted to their second high school graduation.

The most moving part of the evening for me arrived when each graduate lined up on one side of the stage. Their parents stood on the other. As names were called, they walked toward each other to mid-stage, and their parents were handed the diploma. They, in turn, presented it to their son or daughter with hugs. Then all stepped to center stage for a photograph.

All the while, two large screens mounted beside the stage showed each graduating student first as a small child followed by their senior pictures. Everyone applauded for every student and their parents because they earned it. Several graduates shouted out they loved and appreciated their parents.

Leaving, I was more convinced than ever that today's home-schooled students are anything but "sheltered." I also believe these well-rounded students are becoming not only more prevalent in this troubled and confused society but also more accomplished personally and academically. On this night they all were obviously attractive, creative, witty, capable and ready to enter college, or whatever challenges life throws their way.

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Mike Masterson's column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Email him at mmasterson@arkansasonline.com.

Editorial on 05/24/2016

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