Eleven Super Heroes Graduate from Canyon View

My grandson, Bridger, age 22, has earned his Weber High School diploma!

On May 20, 2016, 11 superheroes graduated from their various high schools at Canyon View School in Ogden. This special ceremony wasn't announced in the newspaper with the times and places for the local high school graduations that were taking place this month, yet these young adults have spent four years beyond high school earning their high school diploma in the Life Program course of studies offered at Canyon View. For those of us who have earned higher education degrees, we know how difficult it was to finish high school and go on to complete four more years of school,  but we still didn’t experience anything nearly as tough and challenging as these young people have during their education; what they accomplished should be called a Master’s degree in life.

Canyon View's graduation ceremony was one of the most heartfelt, amazing graduations I’ve ever attended. Tears welled up in our eyes and we chocked back our emotions as the graduates took their turn standing bravely in front of the audience while their individual accomplishments were highlighted.  No one in the room could explain what it felt like to see these fine young men and women reach the monumental goal of graduating from high school. Every parent in that room knew the effort it had been to teach small and simple things to their child who had disabilities—the patience, the love, the persistence, the endurance, the every-fiber-of-their-being strength required to get them to where they stood on this special day. The teachers and aides knew, too, and experienced the same feeling of pride for a job well done. The investment in these wonderful human beings, these unsung heroes, was worth every sacrifice, all the tears and sorrow for their struggles, and everything else. There they stood as examples of true courage and great accomplishment.

As each graduate was presented, these are some of the individual accomplishments that were mentioned:  “He learned to advocate for himself,”  “She came to the United States four years ago and learnedEnglish and is working on her citizenship,” “He can now communicate with a device that helps people understand him,”  “She can take the UTA by herself and is looking forward to begin independent living,”  “He has learned to say, ‘Excuse me’ when he needs to do something and people are ignoring him as he stands by patiently, waiting for them to acknowledge him,”  “When he started school here, he  did not communicate, but now has learned to interact with people comfortably and effectively,”  “She can now speak and be understood,”  “He found every educational challenge very difficult, but he hung in there and worked hard and learned,”  “He was recently complimented for being the best custodian the school has ever had,”  “He has expertly managed the school’s recycling program,”  “He has held a job at Smith’s Marketplace,” “She has done a good job as an employee at Deseret Industries for the past two years,” “He has learned to drive his wheelchair safely,”  “He is able to demonstrate proper social behavior and will soon live in a group home,” “She was very shy at first, but can now express herself with confidence.” The list of large and small accomplishments was long and impressive. They each should have received a standing ovation.

These students’ family members and friends will keep this special moment in their hearts, knowing that the world hasn’t been the kindest to people with disabilities. Yet, they go forth into the world now with hope for the future, just like any other high school student. They have dreams and goals. They will achieve much. They will remind us all to be grateful for what we have, and, most of all, to be grateful for what they have taught and given us. They will, indeed, continue on, making the world a better place.