Graduation Ceremonies

Approximately 1,900 seniors will graduate from the Howard County public schools in June. All commencement exercises will be conducted between June 3 and 6. All of the schools will have proms. The schedule and location for these events is:School: AtholtonProm: May 11, BWI MarriottGraduation: June 6, 2 p.m., Merriweather Post PavilionSchool: CentennialProm: May 11, Baltimore Grand HotelGraduation: June 4, 8 p.m., U. Maryland- BaltimoreSchool: GlenelgProm: May 10, Martin's WestGraduation: June 4,8 p.m., Glenelg High SchoolSchool: HammondProm: May 18, Marriott Inner HarborGraduation: June 5, 8 p.m., U. Maryland- BaltimoreSchool: HowardProm: May 25, Kittamaqundi Room, Spear Ctr.Graduation: June 5, 8 p.m., Howard High SchoolSchool: Mount HebronProm: May 11, Martin's WestGraduation: June 6, 7 p.m., Merriweather Post PavilionSchool: Oakland MillsProm: May 11, Hyatt RegencyGraduation: June 5, 7:30 p.m., Merriweather PostSchool: Wilde LakeProm: May 18, Omni in BaltimoreGraduation: June 3, 7 p.m., Wilde Lake High School

In her column "An Annapolis tradition, grounded" (May 13) Susan Reimer laments the fact that the Blue Angels flyover at the graduation ceremonies for cadets was canceled, and she thinks Congress should be ashamed for cutting funds for such a trivial "carnival act. " Meanwhile, the Obama administration has apparently sicced the IRS on tea party groups for political reasons, the very groups who are fighting to keep such frivolous expenditures off...

An off-duty Baltimore police cadet was arrested in Glen Burnie after police said he hit a woman with a car in a domestic incident Thursday, the day before he was set to graduate from the academy. Baltimore police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the cadet, Zachary Michael Mitchell, 24, has been suspended from Friday's graduation ceremonies and police expect he will be terminated. Anne Arundel County police said they were told by a witness in the 100 block of Plymouth Lane about 4:30 p.m. that a man and woman had been fighting in the parking lot of an apartment building and that the man struck the woman with a car. The couple later went inside an apartment in the complex, where Mitchell lives, according to police.

An off-duty Baltimore police cadet was arrested in Glen Burnie after police said he hit a woman with a car in a domestic incident Thursday, the day before he was set to graduate from the academy. Baltimore police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the cadet, Zachary Michael Mitchell, 24, has been suspended from Friday's graduation ceremonies and police expect he will be terminated. Anne Arundel County police said they were told by a witness in the 100 block of Plymouth Lane about 4:30 p.m. that a man and woman had been fighting in the parking lot of an apartment building and that the man struck the woman with a car. The couple later went inside an apartment in the complex, where Mitchell lives, according to police.

* Ann Henry, 50, of Ellicott City, medical assistant:No, I don't agree with that all. I think [prayer in school is] necessary. I think a lot of what has been happening in the world has been because it's been banned in schools. The world needs it.

Bryn Mawr School officials are taking to heart a warning from a former headmistress about the possible perils of holding graduation outdoors next spring on the wooded, 26-acre North Baltimore campus. The warning came in a June 1970 letter found this year in school files and written by Diane Howell. In her letter - addressed: "To Whom It May Concern in June 1987" - Howell described how a month earlier the "creatures emerged in earnest" just days before graduation, making an outdoor ceremony impossible because of the din. The creatures in question were cicadas, irksome insects that emerge from the ground every 17 years to mate and lay their eggs, and in doing so, wreak havoc on trees and shrubs and make an incessant, high-pitched noise that drowns out nearly every other sound - including graduation speakers.

A year after the Supreme Court banned prayer at public school graduation ceremonies, many students will still be receiving the traditional blessing as they leave high school this spring.In school districts throughout Maryland, graduating seniors will have the chance to attend privately sponsored baccalaureates, ceremonies typically including prayers, hymns and other religious trappings.For generations, most public high schools in Baltimore and surrounding counties had an opening or closing prayer at graduations.

In her column "An Annapolis tradition, grounded" (May 13) Susan Reimer laments the fact that the Blue Angels flyover at the graduation ceremonies for cadets was canceled, and she thinks Congress should be ashamed for cutting funds for such a trivial "carnival act. " Meanwhile, the Obama administration has apparently sicced the IRS on tea party groups for political reasons, the very groups who are fighting to keep such frivolous expenditures off...

Harford Community College's new APGFCU Arena is quickly becoming the venue of choice for many longtime community events, including high school graduations. This June, five of the county's 10 public high schools plan to hold their commencement exercises at the new arena that opened last fall, according to the graduation schedule released Monday by Harford County Public Schools. The arena seats 2,500 for sporting events and up to 3,200 for other activities, according to the HCC website.

Bethany Shurer took one look at her drab graduation get-up and knew exactly what it needed — a flashy pair of shoes. The Stevenson University senior's lifeless black robe covered most of her body, leaving her feet as the only place for something sassy. So she added some sparkle: a pair of eye-catching Kenneth Cole rhinestone-studded platforms. She wouldn't just walk across the stage — in those metallic navy pumps, she would shine. "Everyone else was going to be wearing the same thing," said the 23-year-old, who lives in Forest Hill.

It wasn't that many years back when some Harford County high schools were organizing graduation ceremonies at relatively large venues outside the county, notably in Towson. The argument for the practice was rather pragmatic: Each graduate was allocated a relatively small number of tickets to graduation ceremonies held in the home high schools, so not all the family members who might want to attend were able to. There were plenty of pragmatic arguments against the practice, as well.

Harford Community College's new APGFCU Arena is quickly becoming the venue of choice for many longtime community events, including high school graduations. This June, five of the county's 10 public high schools plan to hold their commencement exercises at the new arena that opened last fall, according to the graduation schedule released Monday by Harford County Public Schools. The arena seats 2,500 for sporting events and up to 3,200 for other activities, according to the HCC website.

Memorial Day weekend is considered the traditional start of summer, but for more than 2,500 Harford County students, summer won't begin until high school is officially over - forever. And after weeks of studying and exams, that time has come. Graduation Week 2012 is upon us. Harford Community College led the way with its commencement exercises on May 17. The senior students at the John Archer School will graduate in ceremonies beginning at 1:15 p.m. Friday, June 1 at the school.

Graduation season has drawn to a close and members of Harford County's Class of 2011 are working on beginning the next stages of their lives. In a  little less than a year, as many parents are well aware, the Class of 2012 will take that next big step. Graduation season, after all, is as predictable as the Fourth of July, so it makes perfect sense that Harford County Public Schools would be making plans for spring 2012 ceremonies even as those who just graduated are still feeling a sense of accomplishment.

The assistant principal of a Northeast Baltimore high school was arrested Tuesday and charged with stealing eight Apple iPads that the school was going to use in its graduation ceremony, according to court records. Leonard Sheppard Hart, 38, was arrested at the Antioch Diploma Plus High School on Harford Road and released from central booking on his own recognizance, facing one count of theft under $10,000. A system spokeswoman said he was placed on administrative leave. Charging documents filed by city school police Sgt. Akil L. Hamm allege that Hart stole the devices and chargers, with a total value of $3,992, from the school's main office on June.

Eighteen Baltimore women who once walked aimlessly through lives dominated by addiction, homelessness and incarceration paraded with conviction Saturday across the front of a North Baltimore church, proud to receive a long-awaited validation. The women are high school and college graduates who, decades after they dropped out of high school or failed to continue their education, turned to the Marian House — a nonprofit organization located in the Better Waverly neighborhood that provides transitional support services for women and their families.

Graduation ceremonies for Howard County Graduation ceremonies for Howard County public high schools will be at Merriweather Post Pavilion. (Cedar Lane School will hold its graduation at 10:30 a.m. May 28 at the school.) Here is the schedule: May 22 1 p.m. - Centennial 4:30 p.m. - Atholton 8 p.m. - Marriotts Ridge May 23 11:30 a.m. - Long Reach 4 p.m. - River Hill May 29 8 a.m. - Howard noon - Mount Hebron 4 p.m. - Glenelg 8 p.m. - Oakland Mills May 30 8 a.m. - Reservoir 11:30 a.m. - Hammond 4 p.m. - Wilde Lake

Bethany Shurer took one look at her drab graduation get-up and knew exactly what it needed — a flashy pair of shoes. The Stevenson University senior's lifeless black robe covered most of her body, leaving her feet as the only place for something sassy. So she added some sparkle: a pair of eye-catching Kenneth Cole rhinestone-studded platforms. She wouldn't just walk across the stage — in those metallic navy pumps, she would shine. "Everyone else was going to be wearing the same thing," said the 23-year-old, who lives in Forest Hill.