The Answer Sheet: graduation ceremonies


Posted at 06:30 AM ET, 06/17/2010

The pain of graduation: 5-inch heels
By Valerie Strauss
After attending several graduation ceremonies and hearing wonderful uplifting messages about success, friendship, love and life, I carried away one overwhelming image: Girls tripping over their high-heeled shoes on their way to pick up their diplomas.

By Valerie Strauss  |  06:30 AM ET, 06/17/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Student Life | Tags:  girls tripping at graduation, graduation ceremonies, graduation shoes, health and high heels, heels and feet, high heels, high heels at graduation, high-heeled shoes and girls, prom shoes, shoes and fashion and graduation, the dangers of wearing high heels, what high heels do to feet

Posted at 06:30 AM ET, 06/10/2010

Do we need preschool graduation ceremonies?
By Valerie Strauss
Spend a little time watching videos of pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students at graduation ceremonies, or, to save time, just take my word for it, but it's time to call a halt to these events.

By Valerie Strauss  |  06:30 AM ET, 06/10/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Early Childhood | Tags:  caps and gowns for kids, graduation caps for children, graduation ceremonies, kindergarten graduation, pre-k graduation ceremonies, preschool graduation

Posted at 06:00 AM ET, 05/09/2010

The funniest commencement speeches
By Valerie Strauss
Most graduation speeches are boring; who really remembers theirs? But some classes get lucky, and are graced with a speaker who says something memorable because it is profound rather than sappy, or because it is really funny, or because it is profound and funny at the same time. I like the funny ones, so here are excerpts of some of the funny ones.

By Valerie Strauss  |  06:00 AM ET, 05/09/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Higher Education | Tags:  commencement speeches, degeneres speech, ellen degeneres and tulane, funny commencement speeches, funny graduation speeches, graduation ceremonies, graduation speeches, hilarious commencement speeches, jon stewart and commencement address, jon stewart and william and mary, lady gaga and commencement address, lady gaga and new york university, obama and commencement, obama and graduation, obama at hampton, will ferrell and harvard

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 05/01/2010

Should high schools eliminate honors at graduation?
By Valerie Strauss
A high school student writes that high school graduations should honor all students equally, and that icons on programs and honor cords should be eliminated.

By Valerie Strauss  |  07:00 AM ET, 05/01/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  High School | Tags:  Catonsville High School, awards ceremony, graduation ceremonies, graduation honors, high school graduation, honors awards ceremony