This past Friday, Cardinal Intermediate School held a graduation for its fourth grade students. The CIS Gym was filled with apprehension and (husky) pride for its fourth graders – who stood up on the platforms with jittery hands and feet, and nervous looking smiles. This graduation was a huge deal for everyone, but what comes this fall will be even bigger. This is when these very fourth graders will be entering the Cardinal Middle School as fifth graders.
The gym was decorated with red, black, and white – Cardinal’s school colors. All through the ceremony, the flashing of proud parents’ cameras was louder than the presenters. The presenters gave kind words and advice to the fourth grade class in front of them. Among those presenters was Superintendent Dr. Scott Hunt, who has been working at Cardinal for two years.
When I asked Dr. Hunt what he thought about the graduation after the ceremony, he smiled and said that he was confident in the transition so far. He reassured me that the fifth graders currently in the middle school were doing well and that he saw great progress so far. He was also one hundred percent confident that the fourth grade class that was graduating that day would do great in Cardinal Middle School next year.
It was hard to picture the fourth graders in front of us – a total of 89 students altogether, most around the age of 10 – in the Cardinal Middle School next year. But, as the awards were given out for Outstanding Students, and all students walked up to receive their diplomas, they seemed very much grown up.
The part of the ceremony that stood out most of all was the fourth graders performance a song, “Onward! Upward!” Their beautiful voices and expressive motions were lead by the music teacher, Mrs. Katie Ruzin. Seeing the kids’ smiling faces as they proudly performed for all of their families and loved ones was amazing, and made for more than a few teary eyes. It was also an important reminder for how much music helped these young kids, and just how far they have come in the past school year.
The reoccurring theme of the graduation was, “We came in as strangers, we leave as friends.” Seeing all of the smiling faces, nervously looking at each other, waving and cheering as each got their diploma was proof of that. While going to the middle school next year will be a strange, terrifying concept, at least they’ll have the friends they made this school year to help them through it.
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