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Creative ways you can Celebrate your Homeschool Graduate
When we get to the finish line of our Homeschooling days with our teens, that is something to celebrate! Here are some creative ways you can celebrate your Homeschool graduate. Whether you want to have a big bash or something smaller and intimate, this article will help you give your Homeschool graduate a memorable send off.
If you’ve been Homeschooling your child for all 12 years of their schooling or just a few months, it’s cause to celebrate. Pouring all the hours, love and sometimes tears, into our kiddos deserves a big pat on the back for parents too.
It all really does go so fast. So, it’s appropriate to take some time to pause, acknowledge the passage of time, and celebrate this amazing achievement.
1. Ask Euka for your HOMESCHOOL GRADUATES CERTIFICATE
All Grade 6 Graduates, 10 Graduates, University Preparation Students (Grade 11) and Senior Certificate students (Grade 12) are able to request their final Certificates.
2. GO BIG! ORGANISE A GRADUATION CEREMONY WITH FRIENDS
If you are lucky enough to live near other Homeschool graduates, get together and have a ceremony! Even if you don’t know them ultra-well, you can still plan a ceremony your kids will remember. Sometimes Homeschool families like to be islands, but this is an occasion, where joining together with other families, even if you’re not super close, can be so amazing. Feel free to post on the Euka Facebook group to find others in your area or to plan an online graduation. Pick a date and time, organise a program, and maybe even a formal dinner.
3. PLAN A PARTY
Whether you do a ceremony or not, we highly recommend honouring your grad with a party! Opening your home and being hospitable doesn’t mean our houses are perfect and sprawling. It will be such a happy memory.
Here are some tips to get you started.
SUPER SIMPLE PARTY TIPS FOR YOUR HOMESCHOOL GRADUATE
Backyard Parties feel so much more laid back and relieves the pressure from having to have the inside of your home in top shape
Simple Food Ideas: Grill burgers, ask family to bring giant salads and take care of the main dish on the grill, tacos.
Lighting: string cafe lights across your backyard…instant ambiance!
Ask your friends’ kids for help waiting tables: Having Primary schoolers, nephews/nieces cousins etc, to walk around and pick up garbage or grab guests drinks or food, can be so helpful!
Turn the Speaker On! Maybe your grad wants to make the party playlist or maybe you do, but either way, have some fun music playing!
Guest Book with Advice: Grab a nice blank book and instead of a traditional guest book, ask guests to write a little note providing some life advice.
4. SEND OUT ANNOUNCMENTS FOR YOUR HOMESCHOOL GRADUATE
There are so many online sites where you can create inexpensive, beautiful graduation announcements. Canva has some top templates that look great!
Sometimes people wonder who to send them to. Here are some ideas.
Friends’ families
All family members near and far away
Parents close friends who know your child
Neighbours
Student’s co-workers
Anyone who helped with activities (church leaders, Boy Scout leaders, Sports coach etc.)
5. CREATE SIMPLE PHOTO DISPLAYS
There are so many fun ways to create a photo display for your grad! Even a large corkboard is perfect!
An old pallet that’s spray painted black, with string to clip photos onto, looks great. You can even add some battery-operated lights for fun.
6. PUT TOGETHER A GRADUATION PROGRAM
It’s nice to have something memorable to hang onto long after graduation day. If you’re doing a ceremony with a group, offer to make something like this for your group.
The program booklet could have a page for each grade. The page could include a senior photo and a note from the student about what Homeschooling meant to them. Then the page could also include a note from the parents to their grad–blessings, prayers, or just a note to say well done.
7. SET UP A DISPLAY OF MEMORABILIA
At your party or celebration, drag out all the trophies, awesome papers, plaques, awards, photos, and whatever else you can find to celebrate your kid! Set it all up and display their hard work.
8. GIVE YOUR HOMESCHOOL GRADUATE A GIFT TO MARK THE OCCASION
It is a great idea to give a gift that signifies the event. One idea is a watch to mark the occasion. Alternatively, a nice piece of jewellery would be a wonderful “congrats, grad!” gift!
9. CREATE A VIDEO SLIDESHOW OF FAVOURITE PHOTOS + MUSIC
Going back through years and years of photos and then adding the music is a wonderful way to celebrate the conclusion to the education years. Making a slideshow for your family and perhaps friends, will be meaningful.
10. CREATE A HOMESCHOOL YEARBOOK
Grab all the photos from years past in Homeschooling. Photos of projects and excursions. Maybe even add some of the work your child created. You could do so many fun things with creating a Homeschool yearbook.
We hope this got your wheels turning with creative ways to honour your Homeschool graduate. This really is an accomplishment for your child AND your family. You poured years into your kiddos and now that time of instruction is closing. Let’s celebrate!