Home schooled students can chose a traditional graduation if they wish, or they can create a more personal graduation.
Graduation day is a special moment for students and families, and it is important that home schooled students have a chance to acknowledge their achievements and share them with friends and loved ones. Home schooled students have a variety of graduation options available to them; they can create their own graduation ceremony and decide for themselves the best way to celebrate their achievements, or they can choose to take part in a larger ceremony.
Traditional Graduation
If you are homeschooling as part of a home school umbrella organization or group, you can organize a ceremony in a local community center or church hall for all of the students in the group that are graduating that year. Organize a speaker from the local community to talk on an appropriate theme with a party to be held afterward. You can order caps, gowns and printed diplomas from suppliers. Contact your local home school association to see if they offer a graduation ceremony for home school students who are members of the association.
Personalized Ceremony
For children who have been independently home schooled, a more personalized ceremony may be more in line with the students' wishes. Organize a ceremony with the students' friends and relatives at your home or at a local restaurant. You can organize a slide show of photos from the students' school life and projects they have worked on. You could throw a themed party, a garden party or a fancy dinner party, depending on the graduates' preference. Have family members and friends discuss what the graduate means to them. The student could even design his own diploma.
Small Ceremony
Some home schooled children do not want a large ceremony. Instead, send out simple announcements to friends and family. Treat the student to a special day of their choice, or a meal in a nice restaurant. You could also organize a family trip to a city or country of the students' choice, or chose a special present. Put together a photo album of the students' work and school life to give as a gift.
Sharing Memories
Use the idea of graduation as a way to celebrate all the student has achieved. You can organize an open house for the student, asking friends and family members to stop in and share memories and food with the graduate. The student or her family could make a video to show, and you can display projects the student has completed. Students who studied music or another art could perform or display their work.
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