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Leadership Banquet

My leadership students, their families, and I just celebrated the school year tonight with a banquet. We began with dinner, which was followed by speeches from our student council president and three leadership students. We then watched an imovie that highlighted the year's events, which was followed by what at least some thought was the best part of the evening. Eighth-grade students took the stage for a candle-lighting ceremony. After they lined up along the front of the stage, I lit the candle of one student. She then lit the candle of the next student, and so on until all candles were lit. Seventh-grade students then took the stage and the eighth-grade students turned to light their candles. Thereafter, one of the two emcees explained the symbolism behind the ceremony, and as seventh grade stepped forward to take the front of the stage, eighth grade stepped back and blew out their candles. It symbolized a passage of leadership from the current eighth-grade students to next year's eighth-grade students.

After the ceremony, we presented awards to each student. The horrible part is that we did not include one seventh-grade student, so I opened a PowerPoint presentation with the certificate we chose and wrote ""Most Flexible and Forgiving" and displayed it for the audience. We then recognized this student, and everyone applauded.

After the students in both grades received their rewards, we thanked the audience and ended by watching our self-made Harlem Shake video. I got the impression that the night was a success, and that the class enjoyed the year.

Although the busyness of the year is by no means over, student and teacher alike do see the end. I'm proud to say that this realization has reminded me of the overall success of the year, both academically and socially.

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