When Graduates Return

It is that time of the year when recent graduates return to visit their old high school. It may be the first time they return home from college and one of the first places they visit is their former high school. I have always loved this ritual. The joy they have wearing the visitor's badge. It helps us to know they are only visiting when we see them walk into our class once again. This time with much more viv and vigor, cause they know they are just visiting, like landing on "Just Visiting" in Monopoly. There is a whole new attitude and aire about these former students of mine. What is always so refreshing is how they speak of how the class and school has prepared them for college. They speak about some of their new friends at college from other schools and how their friends seem unprepared. This always stuns me. On many occasions, which is always so cool, they actually interupt my class by saying hi to some friends and even telling my current scholars how importnat it is to do the work now and to listen to their teachers as they prepare for college. They reinforce what we say about what college will be like. Now we have former students returning to verify what we have said to disbelieving ears.

This is a major turning point in the year, as these former scholars speak to our current scholars and let them know that what we have said is true. Thet always begin by letting the scholars know that they too once sat in these seats and pooh poohed what was being told to them about college by us. Then when they got to college, they always say, "Wow, Mr?Ms/Mrs/Dr So and So was right." Now what adds credibility to their tales is they were once here and my scholars remember the returning scholars and remember them and their ways when they were students here. Their is a new aura about the returning scholars that gives them authority, credibity, and a glimpse at the future from their point of view and not the adults.

Returning graduates are the best source of inspiration for our current scholars. I love it when they return, especially when I hear about how they are doing and what they have to impart on my current scholars. Alumni/ae are so important.