Harker Graduation
May 22, 2004 AM/Mountain Winery
Today was a friend's graduation from Harker, and we went to the ceremony. My wife had laid out some clothes for me to wear because she knows what I'd put on if left to my own devices. I groaned a bit when I saw what was laying on the bed. A pair of dress pants that don't fit me anymore, a button down shirt, tie, and jacket.
"Honey, these pants don't fit me anymore. I can't wear these."
"Try them on, you've lost a lot of weight."
"What are you talking about, I haven't lost weight?"
"Put them on."
So I try them on, and damn, I guess I have lost weight. They fit me again. Nothing like quitting your job which lets you eat better and ride more. Damn.
"See, what did I tell you."
All right, all right. I'll stop the self congratulations.
Harker is probably Silicon Valley's most exclusive private school. I had no idea just how expensive Harker really was. And they offer from pre-kindergarden through high school. There were kids graduating that had gone through 14 years at Harker if you can believe it. Expensive it may be, but at the same time, the results are simply astounding. Out of 132 graduates they sported over 1100 acceptance letters. Our friend got into every college she applied for, and will be attending Smith College in the fall. I only shudder thinking about the tuition that Smith must be asking. Unfortunately 2004 is not a year you want to graduate in. California, because of the budget crisis, found a politically acceptable way to save money and that was simply to accept 10% fewer graduates to the UC and State systems. Such a simple solution. Its sent waves of repercussions back through the graduating seniors, most especially here in California. Stories of students with good grades and good SAT's not getting into any UC or state schools are starting to surface in the news. Apparently the heavy surf never washed anything foul up on Harker's shores. I don't quite understand how accepting 10% fewer students was somehow more acceptable than raising fees the 5% more (and 10% more on graduate students) over and above what they've raised them, but apparently it was.
The speech by the class valedictorian was excellent. I'm somewhat ashamed to admit that a young girl of 18 spoke on, in part, the lesson of really learning vs. getting good grades ... and jeeeze, it only took me until I was twice her age to figure that one out. She's hell bent on getting her MD/PhD. The keynote speaker was a woman law firm partner from San Francisco (one of the first women Law Firm partners) who was asked to speak on the glass ceiling. And did an excellent job of it, I might add. I could see my mother-in-law (lawyer), wife (nurse), graduate mom (lawyer) enthusiastically nodding, and cheering throughout so she couldn't have been far off.
But watching the kids, it struck me how much more mature and ready for learning the young women are than the young men. Coming out of college, I'm willing to bet most young women are far better prepared then their beer soaked brothers. And yet somehow, somewhere along the way only 1% (or some small number, I forget what was quoted) of the CEOs in this country are women. According to the keynote speaker it, in large part has to do with children and the lack of support women receive from their companies and from home (that's a little slam on us guys in case you were sleeping) in terms of maternity benefits, flexible working hours, and help balancing home and work.
I even found myself nodding a bit.
After the graduation we had brunch with the family. I'd never seen a high school graduation (or any graduation) that had brunch served, but hey, live it up. Our friend's father is from Hawaii, and his brother brought at least two dozen lais with him on the flight. My wife wore a drop dead gorgeous lai made out of ginger blossoms. And hey, she dresses up nice. I think I could put on a suit more often I suppose as long as I get to see my wife all gussied up! And if I keep riding like I have been, I won't fit in my dress clothes either. Only too far in the other direction.