The Unexpected

I happened to attend Graduation Ceremony of a Kindergartner yesterday in the same school where my son goes as well. The ceremony was glamorous with a very laborious effort from the school and all the graduating kids put into. At the end of the ceremony although I was very happy to see the smile on all graduating kids faces (and the relief and sign on teachers faces as well), I was however left with many questions in my mind that I think need some answers for.


1) What is the true meaning of Graduation?
2) Why do schools these days have graduation ceremony for every class they complete at the end of an academic year?
3) Hasn't the meaning of graduation lost if you do it every year?
4) Does this make the parents and child a little different towards the outlook of real essence of going to a school?

I completed all my education in India and the only time I ever heard of the word graduation was when I passed out of the University completing my Bachelors Degree. Getting promoted to a class during school days (leading up to high school) was simply norm of the year to which all students and parents looked forward to.
Out here in US, it's really different as I learnt it first hand yesterday. Every year, the academic year is marked by a ceremony where kids are promoted to the next level (in style). A big achievement for the kids and celebrations to mark that. However, with this trend being done every year, do the kids take it for granted? Does it really defames the true meaning of a sense of achievement?

Perhaps an alien idea to me, but I sincerely think that it's sheen is lost when things are done in excess. This however does not deny the fact that I will be participating in my son's graduation ceremonies every year and see him fly high in life. It's simply a thought that I will digest as time goes by and I continue to attend more and more ceremonies of my loved and dear ones one at a time.

PS - Congratulations to the parents and kids of the graduating class of 2010 Kindergarten from Virginia Academy School