This week’s Arlington print edition will have coverage of a number of graduation ceremonies that didn’t quite fit in last week’s edition, including those at the Arlington Career Center and Arlington Community High School.
Both had a different vibe than ceremonies for more traditional high schools – not better, not worse, just different – as many of the students collecting diplomas had more than the normal amount of challenges to get to that day.
Consider the case of Akram Bikoni, a new Career Center graduate (via the English Learner Institute there) and a student speaker at the recent commencement exercises.
Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bikoni never saw the inside of a classroom until his family emigrated to the U.S. Seizing upon the opportunity, he has found success.
Not only that, but the Saturday before graduation, he marked two milestones: Attending his first prom and becoming a U.S. citizen. (You think he’s motivated to do well in life? That would seem to go without saying.)
Anyway, our goal around here each year is to get all the graduation ceremonies in print before July 1 rolls around. I think we’ll hit that mark for 2022. It’s been a long slog since those first college commencements six or seven weeks ago, but here we are!
WORTHY OF SOME PRAISE: For reasons that are of no great import, I had to waddle my behind Thursday from Sun Gazette World Headquarters over to the Falls Church City Hall (in the rain, no less!), to transact some mundane business.
Last time I’d ever been in there – and in fact maybe the ONLY time I’d ever been in there – was a couple of years ago to get my “REAL ID” drivers’ license through the DMV.
This time around it was a simpler and far less time-consuming task, and let me say how friendly the employees were there.
Not that government employees aren’t in general helpful (they are), but the overall ambiance was a very good one.
– Scott McCaffrey