And, with that, another year is in the books!
Thank you all for pulling off this year's graduation ceremony. All day long I've heard from community members about how moved they were by the students speeches and the heartfelt testimony to the amazing Venture teachers and staff. It truly is a privilege to work with each of you. I hesitate to mention people by name in case I leave someone out, so let me start by saying that the entire staff really pulled together for graduation just as you all did throughout the year.
Val and Marybeth- thank you for refreshments, having the dinner set out and for making everything so festive. You do that for the staff throughout the year and it is so appreciated!
Rachelle and Max- thank you for organizing EVERYTHING from steaming the gowns, to the credits to the diplomas, to the ten thousand little details that add up to a ceremony the kids are proud of.
Lena - Thank you for the graduation programs, yearbook, and for undoing my mistake with the stickers! You were simultaneously working with your own students, helping with exhibit night, creating materials for graduation and putting some creative technical touches on the HRS materials. You are appreciated!
Caryn, your morning "announcements" graduation were PERFECT! So, of course, you will be on the agenda for graduation ceremony from now on!
Hook - thanks for the music, helping arrange the gym, and being the all around go to fix it guy who knows how to get things done. Thanks for being someone we can all count on - and for alleviating my panic over the mic.
Mantz - thank you for rounding up, redirecting, and regulating what felt like 4 or 5 hundred boundary-pushing teens over the past few days (well, all year). I think you saved all of our sanity this week and all year.
Lex - thank you for organizing the senior speeches and for your own, very moving, introduction to the speakers. Like Caryn, you will be agenda for all Venture graduations until the end of time.
To the people who were mentioned by name and to everyone else who quietly helped out - THANK YOU! I hope you all have a wonderful and well deserved summer!
