Graduation speeches may be filled with the tried and true, but one audience will hear them sung.
By STEPHEN HEGARTY
Published May 21, 2003
Forgive teacher Molly Babcock her off-beat sense of humor when it comes to graduation speeches. The Osceola High School senior class adviser has heard more than her share over the years.
This is her fantasy:
She's listening to a graduation speech, and every time she hears a cliche, she zings a Hallmark card into the air, kind of like David Letterman tossing a viewer-mail index card.
" "Life is a dream. Go catch it,' " Babcock says mimicking a graduation speech. She pretends to toss a card, saying, "I . . . don't . . . think so."
Babcock is looking forward to a largely cliche-free graduation at the Osceola High School ceremony tonight at Tropicana Field. As the school's speech coach, she gets a sneak preview of what the valedictorians and salutatorians have in mind. This year's crop looks pretty solid.
One of the speeches won't even be a speech. Co-valedictorian Carolyn Anne Lauttenbach (she shares the honor with childhood friend Laurie Frances Moreau) will perform a song she wrote, accompanying herself on guitar. The theme is typical graduation fare: looking behind, looking ahead. But the lyrics manage to steer clear of cliche.
Babcock and Carolyn had Tropicana Field all to themselves Tuesday afternoon during a sound check. Babcock looked on proudly as the 18-year-old sang her heart out.
"But we've all grown up now. We've pulled it off somehow.
Now that the hassle's over, we get to move our tassels over."
Thousands of Pinellas County students will be moving their tassels over this week as graduation season kicks into high gear.
Three of Pinellas' 16 public high schools got things started on Tuesday. Eleven more schools will hand out diplomas today. Two more ceremonies take place Thursday.
A few things have changed over the years.
The school year ends earlier than it used to. The videocameras that parents carry keep getting smaller. The trilling of cell phones that should have been set on vibrate mode is more common.
But some things remain constant. The familiar notes of Pomp and Circumstance. The tossing of mortar boards and the outbursts of raucous cheers despite futile prohibitions against them.
And the graduation speeches.
"Oh, I guess you hear some of the same cliches, but the way I look at it, they're sweet kids saying the same sweet things," said Nancy Zambito, a director of school operations for the Pinellas schools.
Babcock agreed.
"This is the first time for these kids," she said. "It's their fresh new ideas."
Babcock looks forward to the graduation ceremonies. She loves the receiving line at the end, when the Osceola High teachers and students hug and say their goodbyes. She loves the ceremony of giving a rose to each student.
"We're a small school," Babcock said. "We're a bunch of sentimental slobs."
