Our graduation Sunday is quickly approaching. We have a celebration Sunday in our high school ministry and we want to make it great. Here are a few ideas that you are free to use…I did!
The Board:
I’m not looking for new ideas, I’m looking for great ideas. This year I am doing a “College Destinations” board. I saw it here on our blog a few years ago. It is currently in process, so I don’t have a picture to show you…but it’s shaping up to be a great addition to our “Graduation Sunday”.
The Gift:
I still have the Bible that was gifted to me by my church when I graduated. It is a great gift, but I have found that most students here have a Bible…probably 3 or more. Instead, we buy the Graduation Bundle from SYM. Practical and affordable…and if they need a Bible, we just give them one. Click here to check out your options.
The Celebration:
We host a continental brunch (breakfasty/pastry snack foods) for all our students and the families of our senior class. This does cost us a little but you could keep the cost down by asking underclassmen (their parents) to bring the food.
The Visuals:
I open the celebration with a premade/purchased graduation video. Here are a few to preview. Later in the program we will show a second video, a slideshow that we create with Animoto of our seniors. The senior slideshow is made up of pictures of our seniors. We ask them to provide 3 photos; a baby, late elementary or junior high, and a senior photo. Each student gets a few seconds of screen time with their photos, name, and school they are graduating from. We also ask them to fill out a questionnaire; future goals, college, career, dreams, etc. and make a small booklet we give out to all attendees. Nothing super fancy, we make it in Microsoft Publisher and print it in house.
2014 Graduation Service Additions
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The Message:
I give a graduation message each year. Short and sweet, heartfelt and personal, super practical and Jesus-centered. After the message I call seniors up one at a time, the student walks up, I hug them or shake hands, hand them a gift and they head back to their seat.
The Agenda:
Here is a sample of our agenda, it changes from year to year…
• Hangout, Eat Food, Linger, Look at College Destination Board
• Graduation Video Opener
• Welcome
• Message
• Calling Up Graduates, give gifts
• Senior Slideshow Video
• Closing Prayer
None of these ideas are new, in fact I believe I took these ideas from other youth workers and I hope you can find one or two to use this year. Are you doing anything unique for your graduation service? Please share in the comments.
Make it in Publisher? Really…there are people who still use that program?