Reliving High School

This will be sweet and to the point.

This past Friday I watched my seniors from Lufkin High School walk across the stage and graduate from public education. I loved it; every minute. Seeing my kids graduate gave me such an awesome feeling. Like I had helped them achieve this goal, even in a small way. And, to see them walk past me and yell my name gave me such an amazing feeling. I then helped with the post-graduation party, Project Celebration. I tell you what, that was the most fun I have had in a very long time, and there was no alcohol involved. As the kids would come in they looked through the window into the main room where I was at. When they saw me they would yall my name, wave, or look to another kid and say, "Humps is here; awesome." I was able to shake my guys' hands and hug my girls and tell them all congrats on graduating. After midnight when my actualy job was done, I was free to go walk around and mingle with my kids. There in lies the fun. You can't begin to imagine what an awesome time I had. Seeing my kids box with giant gloves, play rock band, ride go-cart coolers, play pool and card games, and just chill out. It was so fun to stand and talk to John, Scott, Ajeya, Trey, Stephen, etc. It was awesome to talk to Jay and Eric about The Office. It was hysterical to talk to Big Robert about his doorprize, a folding chair that could hold a max of 225 lbs when he weighed about 300. Hearing Alex Rodriguez bitch because he was not winning a prize. Watching Joel shoot craps. Watching Dana play Blackjack. Hearing Blake yell out "Humpster!" when he saw I was there. Having Dalton come up to me and sarcastically showing off his computer mouse he'd won. Hearing Shane yell "rich white people" after the big gifts went to others. Shooting the breeze with Tyson. Just chillin' with Hunter, Ethan, Krystal, Shelby, and Graham. Playing pool with Josh and Megan. Watch Crain be himself. Talking to Jerrod. Having Nathan hit me with a tennis ball by accident. Meeting kids for the first time and just talking with them. And watching as a girl stalked Joey and Jennifer trying act like his girlfriend, and then the stalker telling him he should leave her. And seeing Charlie come in late and us have to convince them to let him in. And there were way more good times.

It made me actually wish I could have been in high school with them. I never had that much fun in high school; I had to wait for college for that awesome of a time. And, strangely enough, I also got a little depressed. I love all those kids. They keep me young; they keep me going. They make me have faith in the future. But I was depressed because I know good and well that I may very well never see some of them again. Never know how college goes. Never know if they have kids. Never know how they turn out. With modern times it will be easier, with blogs and Facebook and such, but it's still kinda sad.

However, I'll gladly be slightly depressed than ever give up the times I had with my kids this year. My second year was far better than the first. My kids succeeded. They graduated. They learned. I even managed to spark political interests in some of them. And even made a couple want to be teachers. You have no idea how validating that is when you are in a job that sometimes just beats ya down.

Now, onto new seniors. Onto new times. I'm sure I'll do the same next year. I'll watch them graduate and help them have fun afterwards. In 2010 I'll watch my first ever kids I taught as freshmen graduate, and I promise you I'll cry a bit. But I'll never have seniors like I did this year. They were awesome. They made me wish I was in school with them.

Damn, I'm glad I decided to be a teacher.