by Morgan Bachman Features Editor ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ As the school year draws to a close, students begin cramming for AP tests, making summer plans, and, for about 350 seniors at Atholton, thinking about graduation. But this year, the smell of summer and the end of the school year are not as sweet as in the past. There is concern about Atholton’s place in the graduation queue at Merriweather Post Pavilion, where Atholton is scheduled as the very last high school to partake in the festivities. At 8 PM on June 3rd, seniors will finally receive their long-awaited diplomas. This time slot has many members of the community dissatisfied, especially those who have been used to attending relatives’ and friends’ past ceremonies in the morning or afternoon. In fact, two other schools along with Atholton have been assigned this night schedule, including River Hill and Centennial High Schools. Instead of having 8 AM ceremonies as in previous years, the Howard County Public School System and Merriweather Post Pavilion opted for three 8 PM graduations. Many worry that the darkness will hinder the turnout of any flash photography taken that night, and students who planned to celebrate the event afterwards must take into account the late ending of the ceremony. Dinner reservations for families who wish to commemorate the occasion beforehand may be harder to come by than breakfasts or lunches after an earlier graduation. Also, underclassmen with senior siblings or friends may be disappointed, as it is unlikely that Atholton will be ending class early to accommodate the fact that a quarter of the school’s population will be missing. While many would prefer graduating earlier in the day as opposed to the current situation, the schedule gives families more time to assemble relatives or friends who wish to see the ceremony. Atholton students will not have to wake up early and can sleep in during their long-awaited time away from school. Also, graduates, namely senior girls, can spend more time on their appearances and outfits instead of rushing out the door in the morning. Despite the fears of some Howard County residents, graduation is an important milestone for the seniors of 2010 and will be regardless of what time it occurs. It marks the end of free education, and, for many, the beginning of more responsibility in several aspects. College-bound graduates turn a new leaf and start paying attention to submitting last-minute paperwork or shopping for dorm room furnishings and decorations, while students who begin full or part-time jobs gear themselves up for the working world. |