The choice to move the promotion ceremony for hundreds of Woodrow Wilson Middle School eighth-graders was made less than two hours before Wednesday morning's program, as the forecast called for rain.
And rain it did an hour into the event held at Middletown High School's gymnasium and live-streamed on a big screen in the auditorium — but those inside celebrating this joyous occasion didn't care a whit.
"You came here as boys and girls and leave here today as young men and women," Mayor Sebastian Giuliano told the graduating class of more than 300 students. "Not quite adults, but no longer children."
As French teacher and Board of Education Barbara R. Senges told the crowd, with an initial misnumbering, "You are the future Class of 2015."
If some stirred in their seats because the presentation of awards in strings, technology, citizenship, math, science and dozens of others took an hour and a half — more than the total graduation time of the previous evening's MHS Class of 2011 ceremony — they may take comfort in the fact that this graduating class of brilliant, talented and academically gifted students will soon comprise the freshman classes at Middletown, Xavier, Mercy and Vinal Technical high schools in the fall.
