On a perfect May morning, scores of children were dressed in caps and gowns. They stood nervously in line while waiting for their chance to stand on the stage. A sea of white and blue flooded the gymnasium of Columbia Academy Elementary and Middle School, while parents watched, excitedly, for one reason: graduation. It’s that time of year again! Columbia Academy marks the end of another year with a graduation ceremony for pre-school students.

For many of our Columbia Academy students, this is the first time they’ve gotten a chance to stand on the big stage and receive adulation from their community at large. But we here at Columbia Academy know that they’ll all have the chance to stand on grander stages in the future.   

The graduation ceremony started with some words from members of our staff, followed by a few preschool graduation songs dedicated to the student’s graduation day, and teaching staff of the preschools. “My favorite part were the songs,” said Tina Legacka, pre-school Enrollment officer at Columbia Academy, “Mrs. Ingrid did such a fantastic job leading the graduating class, and I really thought the students gave it their all.”

While the students might have been filling the air with cheers, staff look at pre-school graduation a little differently. To many, this day signifies the time invested in helping guide their students to academic and social success. Katie Yanich, Columbia Academy’s Director of Preschool Operations, had this to say about the graduation “Preschool graduations are such a bittersweet event, while it is so exciting to watch these children move on to the next phase of their academic journey, many of these children have been with Columbia Academy since they were infants and we have been a part of their lives for so many years, it is sad to see them leave us.”

We know our students will be going on to do great things. Many of them will be enrolling in Columbia Academy’s Elementary and Middle School program in the fall. As they take the first steps towards their elementary education, we can’t wait but be excited for their next graduation, which will happen when the students leave middle school.