Ben's Graduation

Ben graduated from High School Friday afternoon, June 19th in West Nyack, New York. What a wonderful day for him and a celebration of his achievement. He was part of a special education graduation class of nine students, all special in their own way.

The program foretold that it would be an emotional day. It was dedicated to two additional students who would have graduated but did not live to see the day.

As the students came in to Pomp and Circumstance, Ben was already emotional. Actually it was the only time he was outwardly emotional and the music must have triggered something in him. .

Ben was introduced as a student who transferred from Florida three years ago but was instantly liked by all who met him. Since the other students mostly grew up in the area we were so fortunate that Ben was instantly accepted and such a good fit in the program in Pearl River.

All students had an opportunity to say something as the microphone was passed at one part of the ceremony.

The first student read a statement about his own autism and love for music. He sang earlier with the chorus assembled from special need students from multiple schools in the county.

The second student was introduced as a “Walt Disney expert” and was well loved by the crowd having been in the school system since age five and very outgoing. One thing he said stuck with me. He said, “If you know me, you know I will always remember you.” The statement seemed so pure and genuine that I felt like he meant me too even though he didn’t know me. I thought of Ben who still cries about Nanny Page and Grandpa Nelson passing away. Who remembers even when kitchen appliances broke with sadness as symbols of the temporal nature of this life and as his own autistic book marks in the passage of time.

The next student was a handsome outgoing student introduced as the campus “ladies man”. He was a classmate and friend of Ben's. He said something like “he wished he had a girlfriend and that she was here”. The crowd roared and he laughed with us.

Next was Ben and he kept it simple and powerful. Ben said, “I love you Mom and Dad. I love you!” Sue and I both cried in our front row seats. I’m sorry to say I don’t remember much of the remaining five student’s comments. But whatever it was, it was worth listening to.

One of the other things that touched me was that the school custodians took up a collection to give the students each a cash gift. Something they do every year.

Newspaper Article about the ceremony from New York Lower Hudson Valley News