by Shelley Bennett
One of the biggest disappointments of 2020 was that my son Landon didn’t get the graduation he deserved. Yes, we tried our best at Lassen High and it was an amazing night, but the grads didn’t get to sit together and bask in their moment.
Last Saturday, it finally happened.
Landon was one of 7000 graduates at Memorial Stadium on the UC Berkeley campus. It was epic. The sound of their cheers was met with applause from their parents, family members, and friends. The energy was palpable.
Chancellor Carol Christ greeted the Class of 2024 and praised their resiliency through quarantine and online classes. She recognized that this group missed out on proms, graduations, and other celebrations and I felt like my mama heart clicked back together.
I thought I had moved passed that and healed, but there was still a little sliver out of place. It began to feel better and more together as each speaker acknowledged the challenges this class has overcome.
Afterwards there were flowers, confetti, balloons, champagne toasts, and pictures in all corners of the Cal campus. Everywhere you looked, parents and grads posed for pictures and each mom had the same expression as me: a smile stretched across our face and a few tear stains down our cheeks.
We were whole.
This Friday and Saturday, Joan’s Studio of Dance presents “50 Years of Magic” with their 50th recital. Expect a night of performances to some of your favorite Disney music. There are some surprises in store as well!
Joan’s senior dancers will star as the villains you love to hate: Sofia Bennett as the Evil Queen, Renee Delgado as Hades, Hayley Trevizu as Dr. Facilier, Hannah Matchniff as Yzma, and Chalise Robbins as Maleficent.
It’s going to be a great show! Tickets are $15 each and are available at Margie’s Book Nook.
Remember when news was ‘newsy’? When you read about weddings, family events and engagement announcements in the newspaper? If you have something that might be newsworthy, please submit it to [email protected] and I’ll do my best to include it here in “The Good Stuff.”
