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My eldest child, Kelsey, just graduated from our homeschool high school with no public school involvement. We made our own cheerful announcements, party invitations, and thank-you notes thru www.vistaprint.com and ordered a beautiful custom-printed diploma from www.homeschooldiploma.com. Homeschool Diploma has beautiful sets of everything you could think to have printed for a lovely graduation. They even carry caps and gowns! I decided to go very official on the diploma printed with our homeschool name (The Peirce Academy for Inspired Learning) with a embossed cover. We were able to borrow a cap and gown from a friend.

We couldn't have been more thrilled with the graduation & party. It was very personal and loving. We had about 40 friends come (our family lives far away) and had a fun gathering. We also honored one of Kelsey's best friends as she was graduating this year too. She had fun opening gifts, eating goodies and cake, and just relaxing with her friends.

Later, we called everyone to sit in a quiet room in a circle. I announced Kelsey as "graduating class of 2007" from The Peirce Academy for Inspired Learning and she entered in her cap and gown. I gave a little speech and then we played the song "What a Wonderful World" by Louie Armstrong while Kelsey went around exchanging hugs with all her friends, including the many adults and parents in her life. When she came back to us, her dad presented her with her lovely diploma.

I also went to a public school graduation with Kelsey this year. We both agreed hers was much more personal and special.

So, now the question I get asked most is "But, is it REAL?" Of course her graduation and diploma are real. She earned them. And most of today's colleges recognize homeschoolers as excellent candidates. Kelsey had no trouble getting accepted into our local college and will start in the Fall.

I wouldn't trade the high school years with Kelsey for anything. I was honored to continue to truly know her as her teacher, mom, and friend for those four years. I was close to her friends, their parents, and even survived the dreaded Algebra (I learned it all over again, right along with my student). She has grown to be a happy, loved, well-adjusted young lady and I am proud to have been involved in a part of that.

Oh... and now I have one more to go! My 12-year-old son, Ian, enters 8th grade next year!

Happy Homeschooling,
Jan

Scroll down to see the larger photo of Kelsey: