VdM Class of 2020: Heidi
At the end of a typical school year, we honor and celebrate our sixth-year graduates and their families on campus with a graduation ceremony and after party—lovely speeches, delicious food, laughter, tears and lots and lots of Fitz's root beer. This year the pandemic forced us to change our plans and get creative. Graduating families came in their cars to watch a parade put on by our community and a screening of their prerecorded speeches, all the while maintaining a safe distance (and yes, there was root beer!).
While we did put on a pretty magnificent social-distanced ceremony (if we do say so ourselves), we think the graduates deserve to be celebrated just a little bit more. This summer we'll highlight each of our sixth-year graduates on the blog. You'll meet some of the best people we know, children we love and have watched grow and develop into thoughtful, funny, curious, exciting and vibrant young people. And you'll get to watch their graduation speeches! Today, we'll meet Heidi.
Heidi, you're a cinnamon roll because you are sweet and fun. You are delightful and pleasant. You're smart and you have the best personality. You're respectful and daring. We will miss your sweet smile that you brought to the class.Upper Elementary fifth-year students
Villa di Maria: Introduce yourself! Tell us something you think everyone should know about you.
Heidi: Hello my name is Heidi and I am a 7th year now I guess, and a few thingies to know about me... Well, I like hanging out with my friends and sleeping and anime shows are cool too. :3
VdM: What are your hobbies and interests? What do you like to do for fun?
Heidi: So some hobbies and interests of mine are, I love to draw character design sorta things, I like to play video games, I enjoy messing around with my friends and reading Harry Potter with Katie and Elspeth.
VdM: Do you have a favorite book or movie (or both)? What is it and why?
Heidi: I reaalllly love the book Spinning by Tillie Walden and a movie… I like the movie A Silent Voice.
VdM: Tell us something about yourself that you are proud of.
Heidi: I am proud of doing my best to talk to new people. It's kinda hard for me to do that stuff so I try my best.
VdM: How old were you when you started at Villa di Maria?
Heidi: I started attending Villa right when I could go to school. All the way through Primary to Upper El.
VdM: Let's talk about this school year... how do you feel about closing out your last year at Villa di Maria with distance learning?
Heidi: I, like most others, wish I could have seen my friends before graduating, especially the ones that will be moving soon. I didn't even get to hug them goodbye. It all kinda felt so fast, and it wasn't the graduation I was hoping for but it's better than nothing.
VdM: What do you miss most about being on campus?
Heidi: The biggest thing I miss about being on campus was probably the recess. Just being able to go play around anywhere and just sitting down in the grass and just talk.
VdM: What's next for you? Where will you be going to middle school?
Heidi: Right now I actually don't know where I’ll be going but it's being worked on and we're still figuring it out.
VdM: What is something you're most excited about going into your new school? Is there anything you're not excited about?
Heidi: Well there's quite a few things I'm nervous about going to a new school, but a thing I am exited about it is going on trips maybe.
VdM: Last but not least, you graduated from Villa di Maria!! How are you going to celebrate this summer?
Heidi: I'm not sure how I'm “celebrating.” Like, I didn't know that was a thing. Oops. But maybe by just going to a new school? I don't really know :| #kaledudes
Thank you, Heidi! You and your family have been part of Villa di Maria for so long, and we will miss you very much. Good luck in your new school, and don't forget to come visit and tell us all about it.
And now... Heidi's graduation speech:
[video width="960" height="528" mp4="https://vdm.provelpizza.party/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Heidi-video.mp4"][/video]Photos courtesy of Heidi's family and Melinda Smith.