Paolo's Graduation Banquet

Paolo is in the sixth grade and this year, he's graduating from Elementary School. As is customary with the graduating class at Doane Baptist Academy, a banquet dinner was held in their honor at the Westown Hotel, in Smallville, Iloilo City. The children gathered around six int he evening, had dinner, held a short program, some fun activities, and then called it a night around 10:30 in the evening.

This was a big deal for the parents too. This will be the first time their children get to dress up for a night and enjoy each other's company outside of the usual academic backdrop. The girls and boys glam up, planning what to do or what to wear, weeks before the event. Paolo wanted to go in an suit and tie, locally referred to as  "americana". And Minda, who is equally excited to see her little boy in big boy clothes would stop and inquire in rental shops whenever she had the chance. 

She went through several shops picking "ternos" (suits), and after several failures, found one that carried suits in Paolo's size. She and Paolo went there a few days before the event and got suited, rented what they picked and went home with smiles on their faces. Paolo in particular is happy having to get to put on a suit. "It's my first time" he says, and upon putting it on for me to see, the little boy in him emerges right away. He'd no sooner after buttoning the jacket up when he's start posing with a toy gun. Agent 47? James Bond? This little boy thinks the suit is a costume!

The event came and things went smoothly. Even after a couple of girls would rather have Paolo as partner instead of the boy chosen by the teacher for them. Giving the teacher troubles as to which girl gets to be with Paolo. Paolo, oblivious to such petty things, is just happy he gets to dress up special.