What is Baccalaureate?

What is Baccalaureate night?

a sermon delivered at a commencement (Webster’s definition)
the graduate’s farewell to family, friends, and staff- designed by the students themselves, as a creative and personal expression of gratitude, appreciation and love- and their feelings about future. (Mrs. Lincoln’s definition)

Traditionally, Baccalaureate at Lee HS is a night or two before the actual graduation ceremony itself, set apart in order to allow the seniors an opportunity to informally gather with family and friends. Instead of just a handful of student who are allowed to give an address at graduation, this night offers that possibility to anyone. The graduates wear their caps and gowns and sit together as the class of 2005. St. Bernadette’s Church has accommodated our large Lee family for countless years, and has offered again this year. Because of the venue, please take care when choosing your material.

What is the purpose of Baccalaureate?

The PTSA sponsors the event, hoping to provide an informal evening for the graduates, where they can express feelings surrounding their graduation. This is the evening that will allow the freedom to personalize those feelings and be creative.

How can students get involved?

Students who want to be involved simply choose some piece of music or poetry that means something to them. This can be written by the student or borrowed, contemporary or classic. This music could be played on a musical instrument, sung along to, danced to, signed to…(you get the idea)! The same thing would go for a piece of poetry or prose. You may have an ensemble of classmates that want to do something together, or solo!

There will be a blue plastic container placed in the main office, marked “BACCALAUREATE SUBMISSIONS”. Inside the container will be simple forms to complete and leave in the box. We will also be asking for lyrics, which can be found thru www.ask.com! I will pick these up everyday until the deadline of WEDNSDAY, JUNE 1^st. After that, we’ll all get together once or twice and put our “act” together. We’ll also need to produce and print our program after that.

Where and when is the event held?

Baccalaureate is Wed., June 22, 2005 at 7 30 PM…St. Bernadette’s Church.

The event will begin in the sanctuary and end in the gymnasium with a reception put on by junior parents. First gathering of participants will be held on Wed. June 8^th- Lee HS main lobby 7 pm. First rehearsal will be Monday June 21^st. Final Rehearsal will be at St. Bernadette’s after Senior Picnic on June 22^nd.

How long has Lee been doing this?

In doing a little research, I found a class of 1975 graduate, who informed me that Baccalaureate was part of the Graduation celebration before the issue of separation of church and state took effect. Then it became an extra curricular event, sponsored by the PTSA. It has been a tradition since sometime before then; not being exactly sure when.

Do other schools in the country do the same thing?

Yes, most of them do. In fact, some of them also hold their event at St. Bernadette’s church.

Is there any other information you’d like to share?

I’m so proud of this year’s senior class, who chose to be more involved in the planning of their service. They have worked hard; planning to get lots of participation making sure the word gets out to all the different interest groups. They are Alyce Troller, Andrea Dillon, Erin Chabolla, Emily Lincoln, Allison Jordon, Chris Medding, John Quinn, Nhien Pho, Pooja Sakharani, Alycia Erickson, Megan Thornton, and Mandy Zinn. The class officers have also been helping to plan! Cindy Larios, class historian, is gathering photos of fellow classmates in different activities, different years, etc. If you are a senior, please get your old photos gathered up, label the back with whose in the photo and who to return the photo to. The deadline for photo submissions will be end of May sometime; be looking for notices. Please put the slide, negative, DVD, CD, or photo in an envelope marked “Baccalaureate Slide Show, and put into the blue plastic Baccalaureate Submission box in the main office.

If anyone has any contacts within the flower industry, the event managers would appreciate any help in providing the two large flower arrangements which will adorn each side of the stage at Baccalaureate and also be used the following day at the Patriot Center for the Graduation Ceremony. Please contact Liz Lincoln Work email liz.lincoln@fcps.edu or telephone W 703 313 4310 H 703 569 8962