The whole graduation stressing began about a week before the ceremony. Being a last-minute type of person, I was still mailing out announcements and invitations to my graduation party. On top of all that, I had to endure finals. I was stressed out and nervous. Not a good combination.
That week was one of the slowest I have ever lived through. I was also starting to feel depressed about leaving Saint Francis. I had made many friends there and experienced many memories that I was afraid would not be significant to anybody else once they received their diplomas. So far this fear has proven wrong.
Two days before graduation, our school held a special ceremony for graduates and their parents. I was more depressed about this ceremony than the actual graduation . At the earlier ceremony, moms place the mortarboard on their daughters' heads and dads place a lei on them. I realized at that moment that my life would be different. I was no longer an adolescent brat. Now I must take on the role of college-bound adult. I still question whether or not I am ready.
GRADUATION night finally arrived and I was on cloud nine. No one could ruin this day for me. I entered the line of seniors and from that moment on, I felt more mature, ready for anything. I was on top of the world. This ceremony will be embedded in my memory forever. It was beautiful to be able to view my entire class for one last time.
Once the formal moments were over, the chaos began. The minute I stepped out of Kennedy Theatre, I was bombarded by family and friends. I received countless lei and many flowers.
I felt very lucky to be loved.
The next night was my party, thrown for me by my parents with the help of many friends. There were about 50 people there for me. Everyone was so supportive and loving. The feeling was overwhelming. I could not have asked for a happier time.
Since graduation, I have been back to the campus once. I went to pick up my diploma. I was wearing my work clothes, shorts and a T-shirt, and I had my pager attached to my shorts.
At Saint Francis, students are not permitted to have pagers on campus. I wasn't thinking about my pager when one of the teachers told me I'd better take it off before someone noticed and gave me a detention.
Another teacher, who heard this conversation, turned around and said, "Maura is no longer a student. She is a graduate."
Leaving high school finally became a reality.
Stacie Katherine Hess, 12, of Kapolei, has been named a finalist in the 35th annual YM/High School Cover Girl Model Search. She and other finalists, who range in age from 12 to 18, were selected from more than 10,000 entries.Hess and the other finalists will spend a week in New York, where they will compete for a $10,000 cash prize from Cover Girl. The winner will appear on the cover of the November YM.
Stacie, the daughter of Candace and Jack Hess, enters eighth grade at Ilima Intermediate this fall. Stacie will talk about her New York experiences in an upcoming Rant & Rave.
Rant & Rave is a Tuesday Star-Bulletin feature allowing teens and young adults to serve up fresh perspective. Guys and girls speak up by fax at 523-8509; by answering machine at 525-8666; snail mail at P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, HI 96802; or e-mail, features@starbulletin.com.