High School Graduation

Today just got me thinking a lot about the value of education.
I attended one of my cousin's high school graduation ceremonies, which is always a wonderful event! Anytime someone graduates school is just a happy day. Graduating is a huge milestone in life. Whether it is high school or college, it matters.
However, what took over my mind all day since the ceremony is how hard receiving an education is for some people.
I say this because she graduated from the alternative high school, and there is nothing wrong with that whatsoever.
She was sick and fell behind. The option is amazing for to have to go there.
But, what struck me was during a speech by one of the students. She made it very loud and clear and that throughout her life she heard many times that she wouldn't graduate high school.
To me, that basically amounts to someone saying, "you suck, you won't amount to anything in life, you can't even finish high school!"
If you heard that, would you even want to finish high school?
I wouldn't.
When I went to school, the alternative school seemed to be mostly for the burnouts and pregnant girls. I also graduated ten years ago, (ugh...now I'm feeling old!) And I'm sure this is still the case today as those things are still happening - however this school seems to be to be a place where someone struggling and not having the drive to succeed can go and get it done with people who will work with them and help them.
People need help. We all need help sometimes. It sucks asking for it, it sucks identifying you need it, it just plain sucks.
But when your education is at stake, it is necessary to ask for it!
If you have people who don't support you, or want to see you succeed (there are those type of parents out there), then you need to seek out people who will be there for you.
Without an education what will become of a person today?
It doesn't matter where you graduate from, just as long as you do.
Don't listen to the people who want to bring you down. Everyone has an equal right to a great education...which the common core system I guess is now making the term "great education" for Americans kind of iffy...but you get the idea.
My plea to people is:
Do not tear a child, any child, especially your child down! Ask them to grow, think, strive towards something better. There is always a better and every kid deserves it. Encourage them to work hard and let them know that it isn't easy. Let them know it is okay to fail, as long they learn from it and try again. Failure isn't a bad thing, but it shouldn't be the last thing you do. Try and try again. Teach them that education is important and with that piece of paper they will feel a great self-satisfaction and that you will be so proud of them for all of their hard work and effort they put into EARNING it. Tell them that it is okay to not know what they want to be when they grow up, or they don't even have to know where they fit in now. Teen years and high school is hard enough with academics, and sometimes the social life needs to come second. They have their whole lives to be social. Support them, guide them, provide a safe, loving place for them. Ask them if they need help, they may not come to you for it. Read to them or with them. Read everyday. Knowledge comes from reading...anything! Just love them. Never tell them they are going to fail.

Education is a priceless tool. I can't wait to finally be done with my college career, but when I am done I will be sad.
I am the one who told myself I will fail. I kept dropping out of college and changing my majors. It took me almost nine years to focus on a degree program to finish in. I will be done this year. All those times I told myself that I'm just going into debt for nothing, I realize now I was being so  hard on myself. I was being hard on myself because I didn't know what I wanted to be. I didn't know what I want to do with my life. And guess what? I still don't know 100%. But I have a pretty good idea.
If anyone had told me I wasn't going to graduate high school, I would have believed them. High school is tough and add teen drama, family problems, and work on top of that...it is easy to fall into the failure.

My hope is that every parent values education and wants it for their child. I cannot image not encouraging my daughter to pursue her dreams and take in all the schooling she can get when she is older.
Which brings me onto the topic of homeschooling....hmmm....