Graduation Celebration

Time has flown; it has waited for no one; the hours have ticked by; the day has been seized; the blink of an eye has passed; the time is now. Graduation. As parents and caregivers launch their loved ones into the real world, they might easily take things as they come. This season is so busy, after all. However, such occasions are special—sacred, even. Marking this launch will help close out this season of life and prepare to embrace the next.

Jasa Ruff, a dedicated educator, parent and wonderful celebrator shared her thoughts on making this season meaningful for graduates. Her daughter, Wesley, graduated last May from Wylie High School and is now attending Abilene Christian University. Wesley is an includer and felt strongly about ensuring that no one was left out of the celebration. While her mom, Jasa, dreamed of throwing a girly tea party for her daughter, it simply wasn’t what Wesley desired. “If everyone can feel included, I’m all for it. But other than that, I don’t want to give it time and energy,” Wesley told her mom. She wanted everyone to be involved. Everyone. The entire senior class. Four hundred kids. Challenge accepted.

Jasa got creative. She shared her ideas with several other moms. Thirty-five moms pooled their resources to host a wonderful fiesta on Cinco de Mayo. They rented Barn 89 and asked attendees to wear white to unify everyone and make the colors pop. They ordered catering from Rosa’s and considered all the little details. Some parents managed the photo booth, while others made keychains as party favors. Several served the food. Senior Luke Powell volunteered his musical talent by playing the guitar and singing. Jasa also ensured there were ground rules and security in place. Parents patrolled the parking lot and escorted girls to their cars to change their shoes when their feet began to hurt in heels. All their efforts paid off. Jasa recalled, “It was so cool to see all the different groups represented. Kids who had gone to school together in second grade but had grown apart were back together at this party.”

Jasa encourages other parents and caretakers to listen to their kids when thinking through celebrating this season of life coming to a close. “You need to know what your kid wants and be very open to hear their ideas,” Jasa said.

Maybe the graduate does have a close-knit group of friends. Of course, have a smaller party or easy gathering, doing things they love with people who matter to them. Here are a few ideas for a smaller soiree:
• A backyard barbecue with yard games and music
• A pajama party with matching pajamas, movies, home videos
• A photo scavenger hunt around Abilene to remember special times growing up
• An ice cream sundae party with a larger group at a backyard swimming pool
• A trivia night about important events in the graduates’ lives
• An escape room party to team-build with best friends

Jasa also wanted a special family-only party for Wesley. As she invited people, she mailed them matching notecards and asked them to write advice on one card and a prayer on the other. She asked the family members to bring these cards to the party as their gift to Wesley. She threw this party after Senior Sunday at her church, a time when the family was already traveling in for graduation festivities. At the end of that special event, Wesley had a box of advice and prayers she could take to college for when life felt tough or lonely.

Once the celebrations closed the growing-up chapter of Wesley’s life, the time came to move into a dorm room. As young adults move away from home, getting settled into a dorm room or an apartment can be exciting but intimidating.

Jasa explains that her role as the parent was to help her daughter get organized in a much smaller space than what she was used to at home. She got creative. She lofted Wesley’s bed and used all of the space underneath for storage. Her husband crafted a curtain rod out of PVC pipes to close the space from the clutter of the drawers and bins. “We needed for everything to have a place,” Jasa said. When a small space feels manageable and organized, her daughter can more easily focus on schoolwork without getting stressed about the space.

Facebook groups about organizing dorm rooms or apartments can be a fantastic resource for parents of new graduates. Decorating is fun but not nearly as important as practicality.

Congratulations to all of the 2025 Abilene area graduates!

By Laura Daulton

Photos Courtesy of Jasa Ruff