Moberly's Graduation

It's officially been 10 years since I graduated from the College of Education at Mizzou (May 2002).  That fall I took my first "real" job as a 3rd grade teacher at Gratz Brown Elementary in Moberly, Missouri... so it would make sense that I would have a class close to graduation. 

Yet in my mind, it doesn't quite seem possible; I'm not that old.

So surreal to see them as young adults; almost all of them were taller than me,

with Cory being close to 6'5"! 

 

Cory's parents, Lisa & Jim Briggs

(owner's of 4-Acres Nursery, where I worked several summers as his "hydro engineer")

Owen & LeeAnn Collier

(taught 3rd grade with her AND had her son my 2nd year... who also happens to be a giant!)

 It was also a great feeling to see that many of them were honors society members, with Logan being the class valedictorian.  Even though I didn't quite know what I was doing those first few years, it was nice to see that I didn't screw them up too bad.  :)

 Moberly High School graduation class of 2012.

I will always hold a special place for this group of kids as they were my 1^st group of students, I had some of them twice as I moved from 3^rd to 5^th grade, and they were one of the few groups who knew me as "Ms. Cook".  I am SO glad that I have kept in touch with many of these kids (young people?) and that they remembered to invite me back for this huge milestone. 

Kind of makes me want to go back to teaching.  Kind of...