By BOBBIE PEER
BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ - The Columbia Middle School eighth grade promotion ceremony took place inside at the Ken Stiefel Theatre Monday evening due to the severe heat.
The tropical sound of the Columbia Steel Pan Ensemble kept the air festive as the 156 graduating eighth grade students entered the auditorium for the processional march onto the stage.
Principal Frank Geiger spoke of how the "enough" movement will define this generation. He talked about how the students decided to join the national movement and staged a walk out of classes in order to share a moment of solidarity with the people of Parkland, FL. "More than 200 students left class and proceeded to the gym and listened quietly while a dozen students spoke for 17 minutes about school safety, kindness and promising a better future. It was quite a scene and they owned it," Geiger said. The setting included a slide show with an introductory slide that said "#enough."
He told the students and audience filled with parents, grandparents and siblings, "You have learned -- enough war, enough poverty, enough inequality, enough hate, enough bullying -- and even after declaring in fairly bold language -- enough school violence -- it continues. So, the question goes to you today, eighth grade -- how do you define enough. And when faced with the choice of allowing something to happen or not happen, how will you decide what is exactly enough. It won't be easy," said Geiger. -- "Think about the people that are here with you today -- from these people will come your influences, goals, your aspirations and unfortunately the pressure you and your friends will need to overcome at times. Students, your teachers know you are ready enough --- we hope you are prepared enough for the challenges." -- His hope for the graduating students is to have more than enough of the good things in life.
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