William Walked Unassisted At Promotion Ceremony

Tuesday night was the 8th grade promotion ceremony at the high school. One of my amazing students, William, has a set of cognitive and physical challenges that require him to have a student mentor most of the time. His last name is early in the "A's" so he was among the first group to have their names called to walk across the stage and be recognized. As his row stood up, he stood up with them. He glanced over at his teachers and mentor to see if one of us was going to stand up and escort him down the main aisle and across the stage. None of us got up, but all of us cheered and waved encouragingly for him to follow the line of his classmates toward the stage. He grinned a bit, and turned and walked his awkward walk with the other 8th grade students. One by one, their names were called and William glanced over at us for reassurance - which he got in heaping proportions. Finally, HIS name was called, "William A." and the gym exploded with applause. He is a well-loved young man and the crowd, his fans, let him know that last night. Congratulations William. Welcome to high school. You will be missed here.