2008 Graduation Ceremonies Held in Tenri

Tenri High School’s Day Course

Principal Shigehiko Iburi presenting diplomas for Tenri High School Day Course graduates (Feb. 22)

Tenri High School’s day course conducted its graduation ceremony on the morning of February 22 in Tenri University’s gymnasium, located directly in front of the high school. Guests at the ceremony included the Shinbashira as well as the teachers and parents of the 205 boys and 185 girls in the graduating class. The names of the graduates were read aloud before Principal Shigehiko Iburi presented their diplomas to class representatives. The principal then delivered an address in which he encouraged the graduates to maintain the sort of spiritedness and conviction that typify the path. Next, the Shinbashira took the lectern to address the graduating class. Referring to the “knot” represented by their graduation, he said: “Knots are junctures where fresh buds can sprout, but they are also junctures where buds can break off. I hope that all of you Tenri High School graduates will go through this juncture, therefore, in a way that allows good buds to sprout from it. . . . Please remember the teachings you learned here and continue making efforts to nurture yourselves so that you may bring joy to Oyasama.” A representative of the underclassmen then delivered a farewell message to the new graduates, and a member of the graduating class reflected on the three years they had spent at the school while expressing appreciation to all those who had helped them over the years. To close the ceremony, the participants joined together in singing the Young Men’s Association anthem, which also serves as the school song.

Tenri High School’s Evening Course

Tenri High School’s evening course held its graduation ceremony in the presence of the Shinbashira on the afternoon of February 22 in Tenri University’s gymnasium. Since evening course students spend four years attending classes in the evening while working at Tenrikyo facilities in the daytime, the ceremony was attended not only by teachers, parents, and underclassmen but also by representatives from their daytime workplaces. Principal Shigehiko Iburi presented diplomas individually to the 123 graduates, of whom 90 had been enrolled in the regular department and 33 in the nursing care department. In his farewell message to the graduating class, the principal asked them to make the most of the seeds they had spent four years planting through their academic work and daytime hinokishin. The Shinbashira then told the graduates: “The first task in this path is to make a steady effort to live out Oyasama’s teachings in our daily lives. I hope, therefore, that all of you will do your best to implement the teachings you have learned here.”

Tenri Kyoko Gakuen High School

Tenri Kyoko Gakuen High School held its 3rd graduation ceremony in the school auditorium on February 23 in the presence of the Shinbashira and the former Shinbashira. This year’s graduating class was the first class to enter the high school when it newly opened in April 2005, following the merger of Oyasato High School and Tenri Seminary High School. After presenting the 191 graduates (105 boys and 86 girls) with their diplomas, Principal Satoshi Nakamura expressed his appreciation for the enthusiasm they had shown in helping to shape the new school out of the traditions they had inherited from the two previous schools. He closed his farewell message by saying, “I hope that you will always remember our school’s keywords–joy, gratitude, and hinokishin–and take pride in having Tenri Kyoko Gakuen High School as your alma mater.” The Shinbashira, in his address to the graduates, said, “I want to encourage you to use Oyasama’s teachings as the basis for understanding all situations as well as for deciding on how to deal with them. . . . Please remember to work hard at deepening your faith and be spirited as your start out on the next stage of your journey through life.”

Share this article:

Comments are closed.