Graduation Party?

[Sarah CB]

I'd like to throw a graduation/going away party for dd this summer. Her high school grad doesn't hold as much meaning for us as she was only there for three semesters of her education while she was at home for the rest of it. She was accepted into all four universities that she applied to and decided to pursue her engineering degree in Newfoundland - the exact opposite end of the country from us.

 

We're really proud of her and want to have an evening to celebrate her achievements with those who have been a meaningful part of her journey. This would be family, friends, and mentors.

 

Does anyone have any advice for this kind of an evening? We have a great outdoor space with a pool so there is a lot of room. There would be adults, teens, and kids invited. I was thinking of appies and desserts? Are there any "rules" to doing something like this? Any ideas for wording the invitations?

 

Is anyone else having their own event to celebrate a graduation this year? What are your plans?

 

Thanks.

[KathyBC]

No advice, but I just wanted to tell you how much I've enjoyed reading the odd bit here and there, over the years, about your dd's education. I'm not at all surprised that she was accepted into all four universities. Congratulations!

[Starr]

We made fun invitations for dd's party with a couple of different pictures on them. Our party had food inside and we had a slide show of pictures over the years and a video of her singing at graduation. There was a pinata outside and plenty of running around. I've been to many graduation parties for school and home schooled students. I don't think there are any *rules*. Your ideas sound great. Enjoy!

[Sarah CB]

No advice, but I just wanted to tell you how much I've enjoyed reading the odd bit here and there, over the years, about your dd's education. I'm not at all surprised that she was accepted into all four universities. Congratulations!

 

 

Thanks :) I can't believe the time has gone by so quickly.

[Sarah CB]

We made fun invitations for dd's party with a couple of different pictures on them. Our party had food inside and we had a slide show of pictures over the years and a video of her singing at graduation. There was a pinata outside and plenty of running around. I've been to many graduation parties for school and home schooled students. I don't think there are any *rules*. Your ideas sound great. Enjoy!

 

 

The slide show is a great idea - as is the piñata! Thanks.

[Blue Hen]

We had a graduation party for our ds, thought we would hold it outside in our yard with volleyball, softball,..... The day was hot, over 100, and humid, oh my, we needed a pool, so everyone was inside the house. It worked out well and we enjoyed seeing everyone but it sure wasn't the setting I had planned.

 

For the invitation I wrote a one page letter detailing DS accomplishments over the previous 12 years. It was a nice way for us to highlight everything he had done. After seeing a slide show at a hs graduation I put one together however, DS insisted that I not show it. A girl might view one differently. I also declined any offers of food since I wanted folks to just come and enjoy the day with us. I had been to a few hs graduation parties where it was potluck and cookies and cakes were plentiful and that wasn't what I was looking for.

 

Enjoy the day!

[sdreeves]

We did the traditional open house (at least here in the midwest) for both girls. The oldest had an actual ceremony at our church with just her, and the youngest did a senior recital for her "ceremony." Both worked out well with their personalities. The open house was simple, last weekend we had sherbert/lemon-lime soda punch, coffee, a veggie tray, and cupcakes...yes we baked 12 dozen, and it was really a lot easier than I thought it would be. We doctored six cake mixes, and did a flowery looking frosting treatment that took about 10 seconds per cupcake. Entire food bill for 150 was less than $75. I was a happy camper!

[Beth in OH]

We have also done something different for each girl. For first dd, we were living in a small town where families had known each other for generations. We had an afternoon open house (probably 100 people or so)--no program, just a small table with some photo albums. For dd #2, we had moved to a large city, so she chose to hold a recital with a reception and invite the families of her chamber music friends (as well as some of our church friends, family, etc.). (Probably around 40-50 people). Dd#3 just graduated yesterday from her boarding school where we didn't know any of her friends' families. We rented a house for our 3 day stay and made dinner for her 3 besties and their families. It was special, because we've never all gotten together before. It was a wonderful evening!

[FaithManor]

For our dd, we had a commencement/blessing ceremony here with about 50 invitees. It was formal. Dh in his tux, dd and I in evening gowns, and the boys wore black suits. We had a special speaker, my dear friend who is the principal of a K-8 Lutheran School. Since music is a huge part of dd's life, well out entire family for that matter, she played two classical piano solos, she and I performed a four hands one piano Sonata by Diabelli, she sang a couple of numbers from Phantom of the Opera, and then she and her dad sang a duet together. My friend spoke, we conferred her diploma on her with a dozen, long-stem roses, and everyone was invited to our family room and outdoor dining canopy for refreshments. In the family room, we had displays of her achievements and memory boards with many pictures.

 

We served shrimp cocktail, brioche, tea sandwiches, fresh fruit with lots of berries inside a watermelon bowl that dh did a lovely job carving out, fresh vegetables with two kinds of dip, three cheeses (brie was one of them), cream puffs, eclairs, coconut cake, and fudge. Lemonate, tea, and coffee for beverages and since we had all the glassware leftover from my sister's wedding, we were able to serve everyone with vintage, glass snack sets. I was happy about that because I hate the waste of paper plates and despise styrofoam, but would have not otherwise been able to afford to buy glassware for 50 people. So, my sister having collected all of those sets for her own wedding reception was a nice treat.

 

Afterward, we pushed back the chairs and had some dancing. Mostly waltzes as our knowledge of ballroom dancing is rather limited.

 

For the boys, we'll tailor it to each one's interests:

 

Eldest boy is very artistic...extremely so. He'll want to have an art gallery display and just have the opportunity to talk, talk, talk about his work. He'll also have a couple of laptops up and running with his latest computer code. We'll have a display of his 4-H accomplisments as well as his rocketry team adventures and whatever ceremony is done to present his diploma to him will be short and sweet. He wants a pizza night. So, that is what he will get.

 

Middle boy is all about science, rocketry is one aspect, but ecology, zoology, and environmental science are his big loves. So, he'd like to invite a good sized group of people over, do a rocket launch utilitizing all of his favorite designs over the years plus his high powered rocket that he used to get his level one certification from NAR, and then proceed from there on a nature hike in which he is the guide. He'd like the group to hike out to his favorite spot - a wetland with several varieties of ducks, woodducks being his favorite, nesting in the area, and be presented with his diploma there. NO dress up clothes and backyard BBQ before the rocket launch and hike.

 

Youngest is all about the astronomy, astrophysics, and engineering. He is also rather shy. So, he'd prefer a smaller group with a HUGE display of his science fair wins, his designs, his rocketry accomplishments, etc. and he'd like it to be late in the evening. Then he'd like hot cocoa and fun refreshments for everyone so they can eat outdoors while he conducts a star-gazing night with out 10" telescope. When he's in his element, he's an impressive talker. But, due to a lisp that has still not resolved with speech therapy, he is very shy when not in his comfort zone (something we are trying so hard to help him with) and so a laid back starry night is just what the doctor ordered. Thankfully, the last week of May is nearly always good for clear skies.

 

Faith

[Jenny in Florida]

I don't think there are "rules" (although I'm sure Ellie would have comments), but I'll be happy to tell you what we did for our daughter a few years ago.

 

The timing of her graduation kind of crept up on us, since we had planned on keeping her home at least one more year. So, we ended up having her party in August, right before she left for college, rather than in May or June, which turned it into a combination graduation/going away event.

 

We rented the social hall at our church. My husband and son built a balloon arch, and we asked each guest to pose for a picture with our daughter under the arch as people arrived.

 

My husband made mix CDs (since iPods and playlists weren't as handy at that point) with all of our daughter's favorite Broadway music. We made sure the kids had space to sing and dance as the spirit moved them.

 

We had a buffet of our daughter's favorite snack foods and dessert items.

 

I used those big tri-fold boards intended for science fair-type projects to assemble three displays:

 

- one with photos of her homeschooling journey and special experiences from kindergarten through graduation.

- one about her performing arts activities.

- one about the college she'd be attending.

 

We also brought along two or three project boards she'd done for school that we thought might be fun to share. We set up all of the displays as kind of a backdrop on the food tables, where they made great conversation starters.

 

We decorated with ballon bouquets in her favorite colors. (We bought one of those mini-helium tanks from the party store and filled our own ballooons, which was much less expensive than buying pre-done ones.) We also scattered graduation-themed rubber duckies on the tables, because she collects silly rubber duckies, and they served as both decor and party favors.

 

We set up a table on one side of the room with a selection of cute papers and stickers and stamps and various types and colors of pens next to a large decorative jar. I put up a little sign inviting guests to write notes and stick them in the jar for our daughter to take with her and read once she was at school and missing folks back home.

 

We invited her friends from homeschool and theatre groups and church, as well as adults who had been special to her along the way.

 

Once everyone was there, we did an informal "ceremony." We made her wear a mortarboard cap, and I asked everyone to hum "Pomp and Circumstance" while she came up to the little stage at the front of the room. I spoke for just a couple of minutes, after which her dad and I presented her with her diploma (www.homeschooldiploma.com). She opted not to make a speech, but instead sang a song from one of her favorite musicals.

 

Then, everyone went back to socializing and singing and dancing and generally had a good time.

 

I thought it worked out rather nicely.

 

My son is leaning toward something a little different, when it's his turn. His passion is dance, and he's considering having us hire someone to come in and teach either swing or line dancing. He is also planning to choreograph at least a solo for himself and possibly some kind of group number for his dancer friends. In general, I think his graduation celebration will end up with more performing than straight-up socializing. But we have a couple of years yet. So, we'll see.