Published: July 01, 2008 08:48 am         

Graduation is a time of growth

This weekend will mark the start of a new beginning for many area high school seniors. They will put on their caps and gowns and take their first steps towards adulthood by embarking onto the next phase of their lives.

For some, it will mean joining the work force, or flying overseas to experience new adventures, or joining the military. However, for the majority it will be on to college.

While this is undoubtedly an exciting time in a young person’s life, it can also be the most challenging. It is a time to break away from the familiar walls and surroundings that have become so recognizable. It’s a time to fly away from the somewhat cocooned existence of small town life and see what the world has to offer. It’s a time to cut the umbilical cord and expand one’s horizons. In this time of war, it may mean fighting for one’s country and risking the ultimate sacrifice. Graduation is an exciting event for the students taking those first steps towards something new, and it is also can be a difficult adjustment in a parent’s life. It is hard setting a child free, but one hopes that most have the responsibility to make a smooth transition. Graduation is not the end — it is the beginning of a young person’s life.

Milford’s graduation will be held Friday night at the school at 7 p.m.; Cherry Valley-Springfield will hold commencement exercises at Glimmerglass Opera on Saturday at 11 a.m.; and Cooperstown’s graduation will be on the back lawn of The Fenimore Art Museum Sunday. However, if it rains the celebration will be moved to the gym and will be held at 2 p.m.

As area students graduate and begin new adventures, we wish them well and hope they help pave the way to a better America in the years to come.