The Best Graduation Gifts

By Holly E. Newton

The end of the school year connotes graduation time, celebrating many different levels of school completions. Books, as always, are the perfect gift and help commemorate this important event in a young person¹s life. Here is a list of some outstanding picture books celebrating the graduate.

For the younger reader celebrating a change in schools, here is a simple tale about judgment.

Zen Shorts, by widely acclaimed author Jon J. Muth, is a story that involves three tales. Three children become friends with a giant panda. He imparts a clever story for each child. One of the tales expertly demonstrates how we need to forgive. A young monk criticizes an older monk for carrying an unappreciative traveler over rain puddles, as he says, "She didn't even thank you!" The wise older man replies, "I set the woman down hours ago." The older monk was able to forgive and forget, while the young monk was still learning this lesson of forgiveness.

Another perfect book for the younger child is This Little Light of Mine. This picture book is based on the familiar song of the same title and is illustrated beautifully by the acclaimed E. B. Lewis. The words of the song describe how the light from within will shine on and on. But, the pictures tell much, much more. A young boy sees another youngster sitting alone, appearing dejected as he is slumped with his head in his hands. As the song progresses throughout the book, the boy invites the sad fellow to join his friends and before long a smile shines through the sad face. This book will surely strike a chord with all ages!

Sometimes it's the wordless books that seem to have the greatest message. Home, by Jeannie Baker, shows the progress of life through an open window. Ms. Baker has small remnants of a girl's life on the windowsill, displaying her growth though the years. For instance, the book begins with congratulations for the birth of a baby girl. Through the window, you see the proud parents in their back yard holding this new baby. There are older looking vehicles on the street beyond the yard. Several pages later, there's the girl as a teen putting makeup on in a mirror that's sitting on the windowsill. Beyond the yard is a full garden and beyond that newer looking cars on the street. There's much to observe and reflect on one's own growth throughout the years.

Sometimes biographies are the perfect inspiration for graduates. Walt Whitman: Words for America, by Barbara Kerley, is a look into the life of one of America's best and most famous poets. His poetry reflected the feelings of our country during the tumultuous Civil War. I found it fascinating that when Walt was young, he loved words and loved to read. He was always writing down feelings and expressions in his little notebook. In the Author¹s Note located in the back of the book, he states that when he was eleven years old, he was given a library card. Later he added, it was ³...the signal event of my life up to that time." Brian Selznick beautifully illustrated the pictures throughout the book, and he studied many historical documents and locations to accurately reconstruct this amazing poet¹s life.

Here is a perfect companion to Walt Whitman¹s biography. When I Heard the Learn¹d Astronomer is a wonderfully illustrated book by Loren Long, based on Walt Whitman¹s famous poem. This poem celebrates the amazing imagination that is budding in all of us. The incredible pictures take you to a young boy's experience as he ponders life and the stars, ³In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time, look'd up in perfect silence at the stars.²

Mother Teresa, by award winning Demi, is an inspirational account of one humble woman serving those much less fortunate and extremely poor. This incredible woman gave all that she had throughout her life. Included here is wisdom that we can glean from her: ³Life Is An Opportunity --Avail It. Life Is Beautiful --Admire It. Life Is A Challenge --Meet It. Life Is Costly --Care For It. Life Is A Promise --Fulfill It. Life Is Sorrow --Overcome It. Life Is Too Precious --Do Not Destroy It.²

And lastly, here's a book celebrating and exploring the endless possibilities of life. Imagine a Day, by Sarah L. Thompson, and creatively illustrated by Rob Gonsalves, will spark your imagination --beyond imagination. ³Imagine a day Š when a book swings open on silent hinges, and a place you've never seen before welcomes you here.² Give a great gift to your graduate. Give a book to inspire, motivate and celebrate!

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2. Pickering College - Day Program - Extra Curricular Activites
... total. The Pickering College graduation requirement is equal to 15 hours of community service per year times the number of years at Pickering College. Students must also meet or exceed the Ministry of ...
http://www.pickeringcolle ...oad=community_service

3. Pulaski Technical College: two year community college in central Arkansas
... The 15-hour residency requirement must be met when a student works toward subsequent degrees from PTC. Satisfaction of all financial obligations due to the College. Graduation Application ...
http://www.pulaskitech.ed ...tion_requirements.asp

4. ECS Education Issue Document
... 173-215 excluding the requirement of financial need and ... year immediately following graduation from high school to ... scores on the American College Testing Program (ACT) or the ...
http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/13/57/1357.htm

5. Sustainable Measures - Education indicators
... postsecondary education 5 Rate of college graduation (five year rate) 5 Technical school ... ... 3 Number of pupils completing college entrance requirement Schools Indicators Rank Indicator 1 ...
http://www.sustainablemea ...tabase/Education.html

6. CVPA Graduation Information
... complete residency requirement (30 of the last 60 hours of undergraduate credit in USF courses). complete program requirements as determined by the college. GRADUATION APPLICATION Review SASS ...
http://advising.arts.usf.edu/Graduation.htm

7. Diversity and Higher Education: Theory and Impact on Educational Outcomes
... students and the larger community in terms of graduation rates, attainment of advanced and ... ... analyses tying diversity experience during the college years to a wide variety of educational ...
http://gseweb.harvard.edu/~hepg/gurin.html

8. Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA)
... 5 weeks) ENGL 3380 | Junior English Exam and Academic Profile | 0 credit The Junior English exam is a College requirement for graduation. (1 week) BUSA 3400 | Principles of Marketing | 3 credits The ...
http://www.shorterdegree.com/bsba.htm

9. St. Edward's University
... account (different from computational skills requirement in general education requirements). If you ... ... of certification for graduation by the Dean of New College in this semester, be sure all ...
http://www.stedwards.edu/ ...urrent/graduation.htm

10. Newport News Public Schools - Graduation Requirements
... placement course (AP) or one college-level course for credit will ... b. Credits Required for Graduation Discipline Area Units of ... completed to satisfy this requirement shall be at or above the ...
http://www.nn.k12.va.us/resources/graduation.shtml

11. angrymoose.org | Open Voice of the Masses
... walk. Being dominated by Hillary Clinton should have been a graduation requirement for college. . . Capping off too much food with dessert ª dice's blog | 3 comments Intel Mac leaks over the Internet ...
http://angrymoose.org/?q= ...90d0c061427a2ad8c66c9

12. FindingAvalon
... me. And then I had to take , what we called, baby-bio in order to get my science requirement for college graduation. But these doctors seemed un-typical. There were 3 tests that they wanted for him. I ...
http://www.findingavalon3.blogspot.com/

13. Vancouver College: Graduation Requirements
... be used to satisfy an Applied Skills requirement AND a Science requirement. To receive a graduation diploma from Vancouver College and be eligible to participate in the graduation ceremonies and ...
http://vc.bc.ca/zope/vc/s ...ation-requirments.htm

14. USF 2004-2005 Undergraduate Catalog - Electrical Engineering
... Departmental Policies In addition to the Collegeís graduation requirement, the department has the following policies: Mandatory academic advising of students for each term. Exit interviews as a ...
http://www.ugs.usf.edu/catalogs/0405/eleceng.htm

15. Choose Nursing: Glossary
... both high school and college graduation requirements. Students must ... and admission to a college. College students may also dual enroll ... Exemption A course requirement that is fulfilled by ...
http://www.choosenursing.com/glossary/

16. Hillsdale High School
... Transcripts When applying for college and/or scholarships, you will ... in the Counseling Center. Graduation Requirements San Mateo ... and a Computer Literacy requirement has been added. Each course ...
http://www.hillsdalehigh.com/rules/

17. The College of St. Scholastica Course Catalog
... To be released from this requirement students must meet the ... documented medical reasons, graduation, dismissal, internship ... s residence. Food Services The College's Food Service offers a ...
http://academics.css.edu/ .../current/geninf.shtml

18. ::: CALDWELL ACADEMY
... Curriculum Grid Grammar Curriculum Dialectic Class Offerings Rhetoric Class Offerings Graduation Requirement College Profile Sheet College Admissions Classical Christian Development Student Life Fine ...
http://www.caldwellacademy.com/academics.asp

19. Kenyon College - Physics
... Care should be taken to satisfy the College's graduation requirement to take nine units outside of the major department. Honors work in physics involves directed research on a specific topic in ...
http://www.kenyon.edu/x11415.xml

20. Learning Support and Success
... solving classes Meeting the Colorado Assessment Law standards Preparation for the college ìQî graduation requirement Language Lab Noble 150 Language Lab Schedule Hours are posted on the door Free to ...
http://www.fortlewis.edu/ ...t_success/default.asp

21. TLPJ - Briefs - Cureton v. Nat'l Collegiate Athletic Ass'n - March 8, 1998
... Title VI because the requirement has an unjustifiable ... by an increase in their graduation rates. The initial ... few educational programs of a college or university that cannot be ...
http://www.tlpj.org/briefs/ncaaopin.htm

22. Students
... teach but the liability will not cover the student as a sub unless subbing is a requirement for college graduation. Organizers and advisors should let students know that students who are doing a ...
http://www.nea-nm.org/Students.htm

23. Graduate Program Policies, College of Professional and Continuing Education ...
... prior to meeting the English language requirement. Students admitted to the one-year program ... ... may register for courses, proof of college graduation must be provided to the Director of ...
http://www.copace.clarku. ...aduate_policies.shtml

24. Education Working Paper 8 | Public High School Graduation and College-Readin...
... For this screen, we use our graduation rate calculations described ... to be eligible to enroll in college, students must have a minimum ... used the least burdensome requirement we found as our transcript ...
http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/ewp_08.htm

25. College of Business Administration
... needed to finish the University's 30-hour requirement be junior or senior business electives. The ... ... completion of all requirements for both. College Graduation Requirements 1. University Requirements ...
http://www.uark.edu/admin ...business/default.html

26. College of Arts & Sciences Advising
... Bulletin A&S Advising Center Requirement Handouts Which Bulletin to ... while they are enrolled in the College provided the bulletin they ... ten years old at the time of graduation. A student must, however ...
http://ascweb.unl.edu/stu ...cInfo/ascDegrees.html

27. Ohio University Policy and Procedure 12.040
... No course taken pass/fail may be used to fulfill any graduation requirement (college, school, or departmental) other than the total hours requirement. For example, courses taken pass/fail cannot be ...
http://www.ohiou.edu/policy/12-040.html

28. Search Results for graduation by Phathole.com
... Reader. ... TAKS_ or TAAS_ as a Graduation Requirement (PDF file) Student Guide to Graduation (8.5 ... ... your recent application for graduation for Three Rivers Community College. ... Graduation Information ...
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29. University of Toledo College of Law
... including Interviewing, Counseling & Negotiation, may be applied to the 89 hour graduation requirement. The College recommends that students complete the upper level writing certification before ...
http://www.law.utoledo.ed ...duling sequencing.htm

30. Graduation Info : College Graduation Gift Ideas
... Rates Graduation Regalia Graduation Requirement Graduation Requirements Graduation Ring ... ... Graduate Programs West Point Graduation ADD CATEGORY College Graduation Gift Ideas Suggested ...
http://graduationinfo.com ...ongiftideas/index.php

31. Courses of Study 2005-2006
... society. Students seek counseling and advising on a variety of issues including academic problems, course problems and college procedures, graduation requirements, personal and family problems, stress ...
http://www.cuinfo.cornell ...demic/Courses/ALS.php

32. Summary of graduation requirements | Ph.D. in Business Administration | Grad...
... Home Summary of the overall graduation requirements for the Ph.D ... process of satisfying this requirement with committee approval ... Copyright | Policies College of Business & Economics, PO ...
http://www.cbe.wsu.edu/graduate/PhD/summary.html

33. Graduation Requirements for an Associate Degree at Citrus College
... in all lower-division college units attempted. Residence Requirement Each student must complete ... ... in residence at the time of qualification for graduation. Competency Requirements Writing: Completion ...
http://www.citruscollege.edu/counsel/gradreqs.htm

34. High School Graduation
... may satisfy the high school graduation requirement by submitting the California Certificate of ... ... Working Paper 8 | Public High School Graduation and College-Readin... ... 8 February 2005 Public ...
http://www.realgraduation ...HighSchoolGraduation/

35. NUSL: Quick Facts 2005-2006
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http://www.slaw.neu.edu/general/glance.htm

36. Paper: SNRHonors College Proposal CurrComm ::
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37. Editorials
... For the first time, the school made applying to college a graduation requirement. Every high school in the country should follow its bold lead. No, not every student will go to college. There will ...
http://www.austincc.edu/isd/news/seattle times.htm

38. Academic Information - College Catalog - CCRI
... Academic Information Grading System Grade Reports Transcripts Graduation Requirement Attendance College Skills (Compass) Placement Test Course Load Audits Program Changes Adding a Course Dropping a ...
http://www.ccri.edu/catal ...4/academic_info.shtml

39. UW Evening Degree Program - Admission
... course may be used to satisfy both an admission core requirement and a graduation requirement. If you are using a college course to satisfy the mathematics requirement, please read the mathematics ...
http://www.evedegree.wash ...admission/CR_core.asp

40. Hiram College - Current Students
... not be used to satisfy this requirement. VII. Total Academic Credit Hours Required for Graduation: 120 Credit Hours. Additional Information ¬ Copyright 2005 Hiram College Hiram College PO Box 67 ...
http://www.hiram.edu/curr ...dcollege/gradreq.html

41. The Seattle Times: Opinion: Latinos, African Americans back WASL graduation requirement
... Latinos, African Americans back WASL graduation requirement Home delivery Contact us Traffic ... can focus on meeting other graduation ...
http://seattletimes.nwsou ...003049093_wasl09.html

42. Are you in the process of career transition?
... to earn a living and pay bills is a general requirement for most. Losing a job or looking for one ... ... be abrupt when caused by layoff, mergers, college graduation, diminished health, spousal death, or ...
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43. UWB - Student Affairs
http://www.uwb.edu/studen ...ration/bagradreq.html

44. Undergraduate Catalog, 2000-2002. Communication
... office before registering if in doubt about any requirement. Applying for Graduation To graduate, a student must be registered in the College of Communication and must file a graduation ...
http://www.utexas.edu/stu ...00-02/ch04/ch04b.html

45. World of Christian Music
... INTERN, Part 1 Pushing back my college graduation was never something that I wanted to do. However, much to my chagrin, I was forced to because of a little requirement that I had not fulfilled: the ...
http://www.worldofcm.com/archives.php?id=A2003081

46. Moritz College of Law - Admissions: Academic Program (Graduation Requirements)
... course. The Legal Profession requirement may be satisfied during ... Rules contain certain other graduation requirements relating to ... who take courses outside the College of Law for J.D. credit. If ...
http://www.moritzlaw.osu. ...ics/requirements.html

47. 05-06 Undergraduate Catalog--College of Science
... No course required for graduation or in the major/minor may ... at Virginia Tech. The two College of Science criteria for ... their foreign language requirement by the close of the ...
http://www.undergradcatal ....vt.edu/0506/science/

48. Center for Credit Programs - Division of Continuing Education - The Universi...
... from regionally accredited institutions will be counted toward the 120 s.h. graduation requirement. Community college credit earned beyond 60 s.h. should still be transferred to Iowa. It may be ...
http://www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/ccp/bls/

49. OGSLP - Graduation Checklist
... Sample Schedule ï Types of Loans College Graduation Checklist Repaying your student loan is ... ... Remember that the exit interview is a FEDERAL requirement and not a school requirement. Stay in touch ...
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50. The College of Humanities and Social Sciences
... must demonstrate an intermediate level of foreign language proficiency as a college requirement for graduation. They may choose any of the languages offered, including self-instruction in the ...
http://www.iup.edu/regist ...atalog/HSS/index.shtm