graduation ceremony

On 4 March, it was so cold in early morning, the road around my house was thinly covered with snow.
On the day there was a graduation ceremony at my daughter's junior high school.
The graduates went up the stage, were given the diploma from principal, then made speeches.
Most graduates said their gratefulness to teachers, parents, friends, and local people, their expectation for high school life. There were a few boys who hardly said with biting their inside of their cheeks. Though the words were common, we, audience realized that the students said their true feelings. They were adorable. I thought they were OK as they were.
I don't know any other junior high school has that program at the graduation ceremony, this school's ceremony deserves to attendance.
A graduation gift from the city board of education was a name stamp. I was glad. My daughter is going to need one, when she makes a bank account to pay for the high school expense.
A representative of the first and second year students made a farewell speech, then the students went up the stage and sang a song "Valuable thing".
A representative of the graduates made a response speech, then the graduates went up the stage and sang a song "Thank you".
After the emcee announced the ceremony was over, the graduates went on the stage again. It was a surprise, actually every year it was so we were not surprised.
Shared some students, they made a heartwarming speech, then sang "Hymn to the earth" and "Time traveler", which sounded well practiced. Meanwhile some students couldn't sing well because they were sobbing.
After the ceremony finished, the graduates and their parents went to home room. They received their diploma and some awards.
Their two letters which written by themselves before were returned to them. They got two letters, one for them and one for their guardians. Every students gifted their family the letter. I was given it from my daughter.
Our home room teacher showed us a DVD which digested this school year.
The students and parents said "good-bye" though we didn't want to say.

　３月４日早朝はとても寒かったです。うちの周りの道路はうっすらと雪でおおわれていました。
　その日娘の中学校の卒業式がありました。
　卒業生が壇上に上がり校長から卒業証書をもらってあいさつをしました。
　ほとんどの卒業生が先生や親やともだちや地域の人への感謝を述べたり、高校へ行ってからの期待を述べたりしました。泣くのをこらえていてあまり言えない男子生徒も少数いました。言葉はありふれていても、心からそう言っていることが聴衆にはわかりました。ほんとうにいとおしく、あなたはあなたのままでいい、と思いました。
　どの中学校でもやっていることかどうかわかりませんが、ここの卒業式は出席しがいがあります。
　市教育委員会がくれた卒業記念品はハンコでした。うれしいです。高校の諸費振込みに娘の銀行口座を作るとき必要になりますから。
　在校生代表が送辞を述べ、１・２年生が壇上に上がり『大切なもの』を歌いました。
　卒業生代表が答辞を述べ、卒業生が壇上に上がり『ありがとうの歌』を歌いました。
　司会者が式を終わります、と言ったその後卒業生は再び壇上に上がりました。サプライズです。実はいつもあるから驚かないのですが。
　何人かで分けて心あたたまるメッセージを読み、それから『大地讃頌』と『時の旅人』を歌いました。よく練習していました。いっぽう泣いて歌えない生徒もいました。
　卒業式のあと、卒業生と保護者はクラスに行って、卒業証書その他の賞状を受け取りました。
　以前に書いた2通の手紙が返されました。１通は自分へ１通は保護者へ宛てたものです。生徒みんなその手紙を家族の方へ渡しました。私も娘からもらいました。
　担任の先生はこの１年間の総集編ＤＶＤを見せてくれました。
　生徒と保護者は言いたくない「さようなら」を言いました。

5 Mar. 2011