Turn the tassel and throw the cap, commencement is nearly here.
In the coming weeks, high school and university seniors will walk toward accepting their diplomas and whatever the future holds beyond.
It’s a time to celebrate their achievements with a brief look at graduation.
Congratulations to the class of 2022!
LOCAL COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIESn Palisade High School — 6 p.m. May 9 at Stocker Stadium, 12th Street and North Avenue.
n R-5 High School — 8 a.m. May 10 at Stocker Stadium.
n Fruita Monument High School — 6 p.m. May 10 at Stocker Stadium.
n Grand Junction High School — 6 p.m. May 11 at Stocker Stadium.
n Grand River Academy — 10 a.m. May 12 at Las Colonias Amphitheater, 925 Struthers Ave.
n Central High School — 6 p.m. May 12 at Stocker Stadium.
n De Beque High School — 10 a.m. May 13 at the school gym, 730 Minter Ave., in De Beque.
n Plateau Valley High School — 7 p.m. May 13 at the school auditorium, 56600 Colorado Highway 330, in Collbran.
n Mesa Valley Community School — 11 a.m. May 20 at Colorado Mesa University Center Ballroom.
n Colorado Mesa University — 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. May 21 at Stocker Stadium. (Graduation time is based on academic department)
n Caprock Academy High School — 9 a.m. May 26 at Caprock Academy, 714 24½ Road.
n (No Gateway graduation)
STREAM THE SCENE
Graduation ceremonies for Central, Fruita, Grand Junction, Palisade and R-5 high schools can be viewed via live stream by those who cannot attend in person.
Graduation speeches often are intended to inspire, encourage and perhaps offer advice.
But — carpe diem! Seize the day! — they can be cliché.
If you are ever asked to give a commencement address or a graduation speech, we suggest NOT googling for inspirational quotes.
Instead, get some speech ideas by listening to National Public Radio’s collection of “The Best Commencement Speeches, Ever.”
There are 354 speeches to read, listen to or watch.
MARCHING MUSIC
“Pomp and Circumstance March in D Major, Op. 39, No. 1” is the name of the music many of us know from the processional at commencement ceremonies.
It was written in 1901 by English composer Edward Elgar and is the first of five marches he wrote with the name “Pomp and Circumstance.” The name comes from a line in Act 3 of Shakespeare’s tragedy “Othello.”
The first performance of the piece was in October of 1901 by the Liverpool Orchestral Society in Liverpool.
Several years later, Elgar was given an honorary degree at Yale University’s graduation and “Pomp and Circumstance” was played to end the ceremony.
In the years that followed, more universities used the march during commencement and its use eventually became widespread in the United States.
BY DEGREES
The U.S. population age 25 or older is about 222,836,834. Of that number…
n More than 59 million are high school graduates (includes equivalency).
n More than 19 million have an associate degree.
n More than 45 million have a bachelor’s degree.
n More than 28 million have a graduate or professional degree.
From nursery school to graduate school, there are an estimated 80.5 million people age 3 and older enrolled in school in the U.S.
Source: 2020 American Community Survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau
PLAY MAJORS
Heads up all high school seniors preparing to go to college in the fall!
You’re going to have to pick a major soon, if you haven’t already.
Here are “The 10 Most In-Demand Majors of 2022,” according to Best Colleges and published in January.
8. Pharmaceutical Sciences
9. Information Technology
10. Construction Management
ABOUT THE MONEY
Do what you love? Love what you do?
It’s good to consider that.
But also keep in mind the money.
According to a recent Fortune.com article, “engineering majors take the cake” for early career earnings.
The top 10 majors that resulted in the highest median wages were nearly all engineering degrees of various types:
5. Electrical engineering
6. Industrial engineering
7. Mechanical engineering
8. Miscellaneous engineering
GRADUATION SCREEN
Last year, Screen Rant published a story naming these nine films as having the “best movie graduation scenes of all time.” And who are we to argue. So here are the titles:
9. “Billy Madison” (1995), PG-13, stars Adam Sandler, Darren McGavin.
8. “Booksmart” (2019), R, stars Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein.
7. “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” (2008), G, stars Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens.
6. “Legally Blonde” (2001), PG-13, stars Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson.
5. “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” (2014), PG-13, stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone.
4. “The Lizzie McGuire Movie” (2003), PG, stars Hilary Duff, Adam Lamberg.
3. “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2” (2008), PG-13, stars America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, Amber Tamblyn, Blake Lively.
2. “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” (2010), PG-13, stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson.
1. “To All The Boys: Always & Forever” (2021) TV-14, stars Lana Condor, Noah Centineo.
