What's Next?

The pandemic has brought a new tradition to my district, one I hope continues -- the Graduation Car Parade. It's a weeknight, the last week of school, just days before graduation, and the student parking lot at the high school gets assigned spots for each school in the district -- the graduates-to-be, in their caps and gowns, form a train of cars with families or friends, decorated up, and weave through the parking lot so we can wave and cheer and wish them well. 

It is so much fun, and you get to see students you had years ago all grown up looking (and sometimes unrecognizable, so we're grateful when they write their names on their cars or signs). There's something insanely special about having an adult-looking student suddenly light up when they realize who you are, and vice versa. 

Our superintendent and various principals walk around emcee'ing the event. This time, it was mostly our superintendent, going up to cars in line and asking about future plans. 

At the start, he asked, "Where are you going?" or "Where are you headed?" 

A fine question, but it assumes that everyone is actually GOING somewhere, and that somewhere is college. Many cars have flags and signs for the colleges that students are headed off to, but there are students who are not "going" to that traditional next step -- they are going into the armed services, or taking a gap year, or going into the workforce, or a vocational school, or an 18-21 program, or one of our excellent local community colleges. But it always feels like the expectation is a four-year college, which isn't for everyone. 

I was thrilled when the question morphed and he began asking, "What's next?" 

How easy that shift was! How much more inclusive! 

I've read about how in Germany (correct me if I've got this wrong), there is even more esteem placed on apprenticeships than college acceptance, and there are newspaper announcements of apprenticeships. I wish we did this, and it didn't feel "less than" for kids to have a different plan than college, less worthy of WOOOOOOs, more likely to garner a small awkward silence and then "oh, well, great! Good for you!" And it's funny (but not really) that GOING to college does not mean that you will GRADUATE from college. That students who know themselves and choose community college with the option to transfer may ultimately have an equally or even more successful life later down the line, or kids who go into trades could be more immediately financially solvent with way less debt and way more job security. It speaks to how we view success, or the appearance of success.

It makes me think about how often there are assumptions made of "next steps." But, also, how there has been incremental change in the idea of life moving linearly or even in a binary fashion. That it's more accepted to have "alternate" paths, and as we evolve even the idea that these paths are "alternate" is fading. 

I love the phrasing of "what's next," because it doesn't immediately plunk people in predetermined boxes. It acknowledges that there are many pathways. That success can be more than one thing.

9 comments:

  1. 100% agree with you that college is not the only good choice after high school. I went to university right after high school (was not even 18!) but I would probably not encourage my daughters to do that (who knows, but I would want them to consider more possibilities than I did.)

    Both my husband and my brothers started out at community colleges and greatly benefited.

    How awesome to include junior high teachers in grad festivities! I still can’t quite visualize how the scenario you describe works, but love the spirit behind it!

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    1. Yes! Check out the YouTube link Mali posted below, so perfect! I think the more possibilities the better. And it wasn't even just junior high -- elementary schools were included too! It's like a serpentine parade of cars winding through the parking lot while we are stationary and make noise. Strangely well organized, usually lasts maybe an hour and a half and we have grad classes of ~600 students. My district does spirit really, REALLY well. Except our colors are red and blue, and teams will say, "we bleed RED!" which is kind of dumb. I mean WHO DOESN'T? Unless you're an alien?

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  2. I love this too. It reminds me of so many people I know. Especially one who did an expensive university degree, and now does something completely different that she loves. I wrote a LONG comment but deleted it, because I remembered this "commercial" (as you Americans would say) that ran recently in NZ says it all. Your students /teachers might like it too.

    https://youtu.be/N9YdpqYhRe8

    ("Tradies" in NZ language mean contractors - electricians, builders, plumbers etc - who have done apprenticeships.)

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    1. That was amazing! Thank you for sharing. Bro clever!

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    2. Good gracious, VERY clever. Not sure who this "bro" is. 😜

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  3. Oops, forgot to mention of course, all the hidden similarities to infertility "success stories" and the "next big thing" syndromes, etc etc that we face without kids.

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    1. Yes! Was thinking similarly. How there's one path deemed more acceptable than others, and success only gets definitely narrowly even though life can be absolutely beautiful despite not having the children we wanted. I would love to see those life twists and turns discussed more honestly with young people.

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  4. Yes! Both the shift the superintendent made, and its resulting inclusiveness. Also, what Mali says in the context of family building. Better to make sure the "correct" answer isn't embedded in the question.

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  5. Love how Mali made the connection to family building, as well as higher education/career here! I always knew I wanted to go to university, and I did, but it's definitely not for everyone. Older Nephew, for example, applied to community college for something in film arts -- got accepted but decided it wasn't practical & didn't go. He bounced around a bit -- worked as an HVAC trainee, a drywaller/taper and in a Sears warehouse -- and then started training as a welder (his dad used some of his construction industry connections to get him a job). He's now a skilled welder and a valued employee at a small family-owned shop where many of the workers are men in their 60s & 70s on the verge of retirement. He's worked steadily since he graduated from high school at 17 and has a great work ethic. We are very proud of him (as you can tell!). :)

    I think it's wonderful schools have found a way to make grad meaningful despite covid, and how nice to include teachers from their past grades. (This would probably happen anyway in a smaller community, where everyone knows everyone & turns out for stuff like grad, lol. But it's nice to see it happen in larger centres too!)

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