{"id":19588,"date":"2026-06-04T16:52:54","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T16:52:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/?p=19588"},"modified":"2026-06-04T17:00:30","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T17:00:30","slug":"tis-the-season-the-graduation-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/04\/tis-the-season-the-graduation-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Tis the Season! The Graduation Season!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Paul Hubbard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Paul Hubbard<\/em>
\nGuest Column<\/em><\/p>\n

This is the season of high school graduations and the activities that go with it. As students, parents and families enjoy the accomplishment; it is also time to think about the next chapters of life. Graduates, this marks the completion of the first major chapter of your lives, you have worked hard, overcome challenges and reached an important milestone that deserves to be celebrated.<\/p>\n

As you move forward, the next chapter will lead you towards college, skilled trades, military service, entrepreneurship or the work force. Each new opportunity ahead of you will help shape your future and open doors to new experiences and growth.<\/p>\n

Another import chapter in life will be building meaningful relationships and creating a strong support system of family and life friends who will encourage and stand beside you through every season of life.<\/p>\n

I also want to say that parents, families, teachers and mentors have given guidance and encouragement and have sacrificed to help you as graduates reach this point. Dr. Misha Stredrick, EdD, superintendent of Maritime Academy, reminds us that many of our high school graduates are first generation graduate students.<\/p>\n

Kate Fineske, executive director of Museum of the Great, was the graduation speaker for Maritime \u00a0this year and said to all students, “success is rarely linear, life is not a straight line; life is like water-you must navigate currents of change.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fineske went on to say to all high school students don’t let social media guide your life. Most people on social media are no smarter than you. Jim Rush of Thread PR firm said that Fineske spoke about some of her life’s challenges as a way of saying to students that life is not perfect.<\/p>\n

I cannot end this article without saying most high school graduates and high school seniors will be 18 or older. It is important to motivate them to vote. I heard Xernona Clayton (creator of the Trumpet awards) in Atlanta, and she talked about the need to vote.<\/p>\n

Xernona Clayton\u2019s message about voting and treating people right will help graduates in their life journey.<\/p>\n

She also mentioned that \u00a0students should always do the right thing and treat people right. She said years ago Grady Hospital in Atlanta would only let Black women have babies in that hospital on Tuesday and Thursdays so this is what voting is all about. She would also have an impact on the KKK by treating the Grand Dragon as a person and not someone to fear.<\/p>\n

Stredrick said 24 seniors graduated. The class salutatorian was Fernanda Fernandez and the valedictorian was Dontae Osley.<\/p>\n

Stredrick wants Toledo to know that Maritime Academy will offer career paths studies in culinary art, Arts, Business, College preparation, and Health Care.<\/p>\n

A final message: graduates of all schools, continue pursuing your dreams with courage and determination. Believe in yourselves, work hard and never stop striving for excellence, because you absolutely have the ability to achieve great things in life. Parents, these life pointers are good for a family discussion with you school kids.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Paul L. Hubbard, MSW, Chair of Maritime Academy.BD<\/p>\n