Local Life, Opinion

Retro Fair Haven Eighth Grade Graduation Walk

Image
Fair Haven Knollwood School graduation walk down Third Street 2013
Photos/Elaine Van Develde

A reprise from last year in honor of the return of the graduation walks and festivities … Congrats to all the eighth grade grads!

There are two different graduation walks when you’re an eighth grade graduate of Fair Haven’s Knollwood School.

One is the old tried and true walk down the aisle to Pomp and Circumstance on the road to getting your diploma. The other, in Fair Haven, is the symbolic last elementary-middle school walk — from Knollwood, where eighth graders culminate their grade school experience, to Viola L. Sickles School, where it all started.

The gateway between the schools is Third Street. It is road frequently traveled by many a walking and biking Fair Haven elementary tyke. Decorations in the form of signs, chalk art, balloons and anything festive line the street on graduation night. It’s only right. Then come the friends and family, set with the pipes of a Broadway belter, to lob lots of hooting and hollering onto the grads as they take their final Fair Haven schools walk.

Then, once back at Sickles, there’s a party to celebrate the graduates. A theme party. It’s been a tradition for Fair Haven eighth graders for many years now — a newer tradition. Not this year, though.

The COVID-19 pandemic made other plans for eighth graders last year.

While eighth graders were greeted, house by house, by a bit of fanfare ushering in the superintendent, principal of Knollwood, a diploma and a short videoing of their graduating moment, they weren’t able to cluster close with friends, pack into Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) and its stage and spotlight, walk the graduation walk, bus back and take that Third Street trek. Yeah, it’s a lot. But it’s tradition.

And it took hold again for the 2021 graduation.

So, in the name of tradition and celebration of the return of the walks, we take you back to the Knollwood Class of 2013 walk — down Third Street.

Recognize anyone? Anyone know when the walk tradition started? Another Fair Haven eighth grade graduation tradition changed. The venue. What was the last year graduation was held at Knollwood rather than RFH? Favorite part of the Third Street walk?

About