I joined DU in October 2003 and this was the first personal pic I posted here

[NewJeffCT]

Yesterday, this same girl at her high school, she went through a Rising Up ceremony and is now "officially" a high school senior

(OK,she has one more week of junior year, but they did have the ceremony)

This was her recently playing Olivia in her school's version of Shakespeare's 12th Night

[elleng]

1. Congratulations!

[JanetLovesObama]

2. She is gorgeous. And obviously

brilliant. Congrats. You did good !!

[NewJeffCT]

4. Thanks

She's done well in school, but also realizes she's in a good situation as well.

[Kurt V.]

3. time flies. congrats.

[NewJeffCT]

6. Thanks

She's a year young to be a senior, but she started kindergarten a little early and we just stuck with it rather than have her repeat kindergarten or 1st grade like many do.

[dewsgirl]

5. She is beautiful, I'm sure you are unbelievably proud.

[NewJeffCT]

8. I'm happier that she's a good kid

who is doing well in school

[GeoWilliam750]

7. Apples, trees, distance

Excellent job so far.

[First Speaker]

9. It's funny...if I had seen the second pic cold, and asked what character it was...

...I would have said, Olivia. That expression on her face is just exactly what Olivia *should* look like... in case you couldn't guess, Twelfth Night is my favorite play...

[NewJeffCT]

19. It was a role that was out of character for her

My daughter is the stereotypical angsty teen, but Olivia is confident and outgoing, flirty - or at least they played her like that. However, after some struggles in early rehearsals, she really grew into the role.

The director changed the setting to the 1930s instead of the 1600s as well.

[Baitball Blogger]

10. So much to be proud of there.

Congratulations!

[NewJeffCT]

35. Thank you

hope all is well with you

[gademocrat7]

11. Lovely daughter.

[Solly Mack]

12. Congrats!

Senior year is a big deal.

She's a beautiful young woman.

I adore proud parents.

I do feel old now though.

[NewJeffCT]

20. Junior year was pretty stressful

with SATs, AP exams and starting the college search process. I'm hoping she get get her college essay and a good deal of the supplemental info done over the summer, as it supposedly makes a big difference for seniors if they get it out of the way. Otherwise, they're stressing about filling out applications and balancing courses and extra-circular activities.

[samnsara]

13. beautiful!!

[Karadeniz]

14. So good of you to share the photos! She's gorgeous...we'll need a graduation update!

[NewJeffCT]

21. I'll probably make a few posts next year

Hopefully, she'll get into her early decision college choice (knock on wood) and then graduation.

[lunatica]

15. Wow! My God! They grow up so quickly don't they?

[NewJeffCT]

22. Yes

I had a lot fewer grey hairs back when I posted that original picture

[George II]

16. Amazing how time flies, isn't it? You must be proud!

[NewJeffCT]

36. I know

To me, I still remember helping her prepare for Odyssey of the Mind spontaneous questions back in 3rd grade like it was yesterday.

[defacto7]

17. Ohhhh, brava !

Congrats to you both!

[PatrickforO]

18. Amazing how children grow!

She looks like she's having fun.

[sellitman]

23. Mazel-tov

Nothing like seeing your kids succeed. My daughter got married a week and a half ago and it was one of the happiest days of my life. Remember these days. They will help get you through the tougher ones.

Congrats

[NewJeffCT]

25. Congratulations to you

and your daughter

[ancianita]

24. This makes me smile about the beauty of our children in the fullness of time.

I know you're a great human to have brought the world such a great human.

[NewJeffCT]

37. She's a good kid

I think I helped most with living in a nice, safe town with good schools. Otherwise, the biggest help was me not screwing up too badly.

[stonecutter357]

26. K&R

[FM123]

27. Brava!

Congrats to her (and to you)

[NewJeffCT]

38. Thanks

I have a lot more grey hair than I did when that original picture was taken

[blm]

28. Awww. Lovely.

And my baby blm is preparing for her second year of college.

[mercuryblues]

29. Congrats on having a high school

senior. Mine graduates 1 week from today! Yay! You will have a busy year. College applications, Prom, senior day class ring ceremony, banquets and more.

I am assuming you don't have a few million to buy her way into Yale.

I will suggest that you start getting all her certificates, awards, letters of recommendations, your tax returns, immunization records, SAT scores, and anything else she has done in one folder and keep adding to it when she gets a new one. Trust me, it will save time looking for all that during the application/acceptance process. Also write down passwords to the websites you & she will use.

You would think in state tuition should be easy to prove, considering she graduates from a high school in your state. I did. Nope the college wanted to know where our cars were registered, how long, whether we rented or owned and for how long. Proof of where he was born (at the hospital right next to the college)

Luckily I knew where all that info was, but I had to go upstairs and dig it out of the filing cabinet every freaking step of the way.

[NewJeffCT]

30. Thanks

Congrats to your daughter as well.

She has some friends that just graduated and most of them advised her to fill out what she can on the Common App this summer, as well as to finish her essay (the essay prompts/topics are available already). Then, when August 1st gets here, colleges release the supplemental info that each colleges want completed - "Why do you want to attend XYZ University?" or "What makes you a good fit for ABC College?"

Most likely, she is going to a college out of state, so we won't have to worry too much about proving we are state residents... that said, she will probably apply to UConn (University of Connecticut) as a backup/safety school and probably Wesleyan because several friends are going there from the just graduated senior class.

I think Yale and other top 10 schools are too big of a reach for her, though she may apply to a few just outside the top 10 as "reach" schools - Northwestern probably.

I'd say her top 3 are NYU, USC and UCLA. Washington University in St Louis was right up there, but are down a notch with the new Missouri abortion ban.

[lillypaddle]

31. Lovely young woman

and accomplished, too. You did "good."

[Kind of Blue]

32. Beautiful baby and a Beautiful girl!

Thanks for sharing absolute beauty.

[Fla Dem]

33. Well you posted some great pictures of your beautiful daughter for your first time. Well done.

[NewJeffCT]

34. I'm sure I had posted pics before that

but, I'm 99% certain that was the first non political picture I posted.

[grantcart]

39. Good job Dad

[DFW]

40. Been there, done that, know exactly how you feel.

There will be some water to yet flow under the bridge before you can finally sit back and finally say "whew!" but it's coming. I hope you enjoy the ride as much as you have up to now.

In the meantime, I'll add my congratulations along with the rest!