8th Grade (Middle School) Graduation

[MrsDuck]

I did! It was more upsetting than high school graduation for me. I think there was something about going from middle school to high school that terrified my friends and I. Plus, hardly any of us were going to the same high school. And, of course, when you're 13 everything is a very big, emotional deal.

 

[Kae]

Back in my day no really my school went k-6 7-9 & HS was 10-12 so no 8thor 9th Graduation or 6th. DS finishes 8th grade next week going to HS in the fall no graduation for 8th grade here.

Kae

 

[4nana]

Mine was many moons ago in 1957 , we had 6th grade graduation, there was no jr high, so HS was grades 7-12.

This year we have 4 grands graduating - two 8th grade graduations (we'll be driving to N.C. for) - matter of fact they also have a formal dance, also have a local 5th grade and a KG graduation . Already have their cards/gifts and each grad will celebrate with special family outing.

Thinking back, our 4 kiddos had least 5 graduations each - KG, 5th, 8th, high school and college . DD also grad from Police/Corrections Academy and DS is an officer in military, I've lost count of his graduations and ceremonies.

I know many don't see a purpose nor enjoy all the hoopla, but honestly, DH & I have actually enjoyed the stepping stones of each and celebrating their accomplishments they worked hard for. Definitely paid off big for us.... 4 times!!!!

 

[Mkrop]

Everyone keeps saying "these days" but an 8th grade graduation is nothing new. Its been a tradition in dd's school for at least 65 years!

Take Kindergarten, before it became a part of the public schools Kindergarten was usually at a private preschool or part of a church. When the kids completed that year, they were leaving that school. So, there was a graduation/promotion/ceremony in their honor.

For a lot of 8th graders, they are leaving one school and going to another. They are the oldest grade in the school, they are in essence "graduating" from that school. Most of them will have attended that one school far longer than a high school student attends high school. So there is a grad/promotion/ceremony in their honor.

Its not just "giving everyone a trophy", its saying goodbye to one part of their life and hello to another--not really so different than a high school graduation.

I totally agree.

Maybe it has to do with the size of the school as well. I graduated with 80 kids, not a lot compared to the public school. Everyone was really close. I remember everything about it. a friend of mine recently found our yearbook, pages photocopied with our goals and such, and posted it on FB. It was fun to see what we thought then vs now.

DS14 is graduating with 40, these kids are like a family, they have been together for NINE years. It is a dysfunctional family and they are ready to move on, but I know there were a lot of memories created this year, a lot of fun, and there were be a lot of tears on graduation day.

 

[MamaLema]

Yes, I had an 8th grade graduation.

I do think it is a milestone to finish grade 8. All my kids went to the same school from JK-8 -that's 10 years at the same school. I think it's important to celebrate.

 

[Too Far From Home]

LOL - no - there is no "graduation" to celebrate. It is an advancement to the next grade.

Here the Jr & Sr HSs are combined, so they have the "graduation" ceremony after the 6th grade. My son asked me if he had to attend, and I told him it was up to him. For us, it is a complete waste of time, and a celebration of a non-event - like celebrating Friday.

Yeah, it Friday!

 

[mamamary]

I had an 8th grade graduation but I went to a Catholic school that went from Kindergarten-8th Grade.

Me too. Pretty big ceremony, caps and gowns, diploma, etc.

 

[Coconut36]

Had middle school graduation here (they now all them "promotion ceremonies" vs graduation)..so did my husband (high school class of 1988) and I know my cousin and SIL did (high school class of 1985) as well. I would have to ask them to be sure but I believe both my parents also had them as well.

They have been commonplace for a long time. I ditto the poster that said it is about celebrating a change or saying goodbye to one part of life and welcoming another not to indicate anything is "done" in regards to your education. It's the entrance into high school and for those that went to a K-8 the first time they move on to another school since they started Kinder.

 

[kelleigh1]

Graduated high school in 1988. No 8th grade graduation. No kindergarten graduation either. And I've never quite understood the need for graduations other than 12th grade. I always thought graduation was about the completion of your schooling before taking that next step.

The next step after kindergarten is 1st grade, so you're still in school, not really starting something new. Same thing with 8th grade. And yes, I know that after 12th, you CAN go on to college, but not everyone does. Some go to work or into the service, so graduating from 12th makes sense, but those others just never did. (And that is just my personal opinion.)

 

[Plannin'Shannon]

Everyone keeps saying "these days" but an 8th grade graduation is nothing new.

Agreed, I don't understand the "these days" comments either. I didn't have an 8th grade graduation, but my mother and grandmother did.

 

[hereyago]

I graduated high school in 86, but there wasn't a 8th grade graduation, nor was there one for 5th grade or Kindergarten.

 

[luvsJack]

Graduated high school in 1988. No 8th grade graduation. No kindergarten graduation either. And I've never quite understood the need for graduations other than 12th grade. I always thought graduation was about the completion of your schooling before taking that next step.

The next step after kindergarten is 1st grade, so you're still in school, not really starting something new. Same thing with 8th grade. And yes, I know that after 12th, you CAN go on to college, but not everyone does. Some go to work or into the service, so graduating from 12th makes sense, but those others just never did. (And that is just my personal opinion.)

But for many kids they are completing the final grade at that school, they are starting something new.

Going from Kindergarten to 1st grade IS starting something new if 1st grade is your first year in public school. And that is how the tradition started to have a K graduation or a Pre-K graduation.

Going from 8th grade IS starting something new--going from elementary/jr. high to high school. Its a big step.

 

[cornflake]

Graduated high school in 1988. No 8th grade graduation. No kindergarten graduation either. And I've never quite understood the need for graduations other than 12th grade. I always thought graduation was about the completion of your schooling before taking that next step.

The next step after kindergarten is 1st grade, so you're still in school, not really starting something new. Same thing with 8th grade. And yes, I know that after 12th, you CAN go on to college, but not everyone does. Some go to work or into the service, so graduating from 12th makes sense, but those others just never did. (And that is just my personal opinion.)

Well, everyone in my high school went to college (which still holds as far as I know), so should we have not had h.s. graduations either?

As someone else noted, it's not about leaving schooling, but about leaving the SCHOOL.

We typically have graduations when kids leave the school they're at, which may not seem like anything but is a big deal. Going to a new school, starting over with new kids and new teachers and new expectations - it all means you've accomplished all the schooling there was at the place you're graduating from and you're moving to the next step.

 

[clori]

I graduated in 88. My elementary school was 1-6 (no public kindergarten then in NH). A group of mothers made caps out of construction paper. Our sixth grade teacher whistled pomp and circumastance for a few seconds then called up our names at the end of the school day. We all received a rolled up report card. After school we went outside and mothers handed ou the caps and pens for people to sign plus hoodsies. I went to private kindergarten in a teacher's house. She had heart problems and retired before the school year ended. I don't recall a graduation but I did get to bring my school desk home.

For us grades 7&8 were junior high. However 7th grade was in one location and 8&9th was in a different building. 9-12 was high school. We didn't do anything after 7th grade since we were continuing on to another year of junor high. We didn't do anything after 8th grade since we were returning to the same school. We didn't do anything after 9th grade because we were continuing on in high school. We did have graduation in 12th grade.

 

[wowsmom]

I graduated from high school in 81 and yes we did have an 8th grade graduation. My mom is 78 and she had an 8th grade graduation (still has the picture from it). I would't say things have changed that much.

Same here. Graduated high school in 1981. Had an 8th grade graduation ceremony. It was a Catholic school (1st-8th) and we had a mass and wore gowns in the school colors (royal blue for boys, light blue for girls).

 

[luvmy3]

I think I graduated 8th grade in 1987, and we did have a graduation ceremony. The girls wore gowns and the boys wore suits, we lined the stage and recieved a diploma and any award that we earned.

My dd has her 8th grade graduation next month. My ds in 6th grade will have a moving up ceremony too. I don't see anything wrong with having a ceremony to mark the end of something and the beginning of something else. These "events" are important to my kids, and I'm thankful that the school continues to recognize that.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

As I was sitting at my DD's 8th grade "graduation" ceremony last night, I was thinking "we didn't have this when I finished 8th grade". Finishing 8th grade was no different than finishing any other grade (with the exception of Kindergarten & 12th).

Granted, my school was so small, grades 7-12 were all in one building.

So I'm wondering, did you have an 8th grade (or middle school) "ceremony"?

Well if grades 7-12 were all at the same school, that's probably why they didn't have 8th grade graduation. Years ago, we had 8th grade graduation. The school my children are going to does not. But that's more budget cuts than anything else.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

I had an 8th grad graduation back in l970!

Catholic schools in our area always went K-8 and all had an 8th grade graduation ceremony - in cap and gowns in the church. It was a graduation mass. From what I remember everyone either went out to dinner after or had a graduation party that weekend.

My kids all have gone to Catholic School and all had (or will have)8th grade
graduations. My one dd is graduating from 8th grade this June and will have the ceremony and a party.

 

[3Paige14]

I graduated from kindergarten in 1998, 5th grade in 2003, 8th grade in 2006, and high school in 2010. No caps and gowns til hs though.

 

[ols386]

No graduation from kindergarten or 8th grade when I was in school.

My kids had a graduation from kindergarten, high school, and college.

Personally, I don't see a need for any graduation ceremony except for high school and college.

I don't see finishing kingergarten, 3rd grade, 8th grade, or any other grade up until 12th grade as accomplishment enough to justify a graduation ceremony.

I'm sure some disagree, just my personal opinion.