ADVERTISEMENT

School Principal Tells The Audience Not To Cheer This Graduate

20. Approaching the Stage

Every student thinks of their graduation day, the moment when they finally get recognized and head over to the next few milestones. This day is a special, nostalgic time when you say goodbye to your high school friends and when your make your parents proud.

But for one high school graduate from Carmel High School in New York, this was a very different graduation when the school principal began a serious speech…

Jack Higgins was ready to receive his diploma on his school graduation ceremony. He was dreading this day, thinking about the noise around him. But instead, he looked around and saw the entire crowd was silent. What was going on?

19. Carmel High School

Higgins was a Carmel High School student for eight years. He was in the school's program that taught students with cognitive, learning or behavior challenges and he’s met many other students in the cafeteria, library, and classrooms.

The student has been diagnosed with severe autism ever since he was a toddler. His mother explained his situation in an interview with Today.

18. A Mourning Period

Barbara Higgins said when Jack was diagnosed with severe autism, she felt like she was in a mourning period and thought of Jack’s future:

"I think I was always very, very bereaved that he wouldn't have an opportunity to do something great," she said, but then added that her son has done a lot of great things so far.

17. The Principal’s Speech

Principal Riolo knew everything about Jack’s severe autism. For instance, the boy could only communicate through a special app with the people around him. So Riolo approached the microphone and before Jack could get closer, he told the audience a few things about the first high school graduate.

16. Do Not Clap

“Unlike many of us, Jack is super sensitive to loud noises,” Riolo said, adding that he has a special request for the crowd:

“I’m going to ask a big favor of everybody today. I would like everyone to not clap, and not cheer.”

Everyone was quiet, waiting for more explanations. Riolo looked at the students and was proud of them, but he didn’t expect for the crowd to do one more impressive gesture…

15. Do Not Cheer

Riolo carried on, telling the students not to even cheer for Jack, as he could become to anxious when he comes to the podium to get his diploma. Then, Riolo told the crowd they could go for a special kind of appreciation and support Jack with a silent clap.

Then, Jack gets closer, accompanied by his brother. Here’s were you want to get some tissues and get ready to ugly cry with Jack’s mother!

14. Everyone Was Thrilled

Before the graduation day, Riolo approached the other teachers and Jack’s parents, and they were all in and trilled with the idea. In an interview after the graduation, the principal explained three reasons why this was an important moment they had to pull off, not only for Jack, but also for the rest of the world.

13. Special Needs Students

Riolo knows what it means having a child with special needs, since his 15-year-old daughter has Down syndrome. He explained why this event was very important not only for Jack, but also for him:

"First off for Jack, second for his family who could experience the same event as every other parent/family whose child reaches this milestone was of great importance. Lastly to give the opportunity to everyone in that arena a chance to assist in making one young man's and his families graduation dreams a reality."

12. It Took 3 Months to Plan

They took three months of planning so that everything would go smooth. However, things could easily go wrong, since it involved hundreds of students…

As Jack’s brothers Patrick, 24 and Bryan, 17, showed up with Jack, everyone was holding their breaths.

11. Jack Shows Up

Jack slowly goes toward the stage, expecting to hear noise, so he sticks his fingers into his ears. As he walks side by side with his brothers for support, he lowers one hand and realizes everything around him is peaceful and silent.

But that morning, things did not go well at all!

10. Before the Graduation

Right before going to the graduation, Jack had a meltdown and his mother Barbara had second thoughts: "I don't want a spectacle," she said, adding that she didn’t "want to ruin the other students' graduation."

9. Here He Comes!

She didn’t want to see people make fun of her son, and we must admit it’s a heartbreaking scene. Students can be unpredictable, and the ones at Jack’s high school showed us the exact thing, but in a good way!

8. Jack Had No Idea of The Plan

Nobody explained to Jack that things would be quiet, and there he was, receiving his diploma in complete quiet. As he turned around to glance quickly at the crowd, he saw that they were no longer seated.

Every single person was standing, some were slowly waving and clapping in sign language, smiling at him! How did he react?

7. He Was Happy

As soon as he saw that everything was so peaceful, he let his second hand fall and he received his favorite snack "Sourpatch," and his diploma. After the incredible day he had, the family snapped some photos and later talked to Today’s journalists. Here’s what Jack said about his graduation day.

6. They Were Stunned

Jack responded through the app a definite "Yeah" when he was asked if he liked his graduation. As for his mother, she said she couldn’t see much of the event:

"I was just crying. I was ugly crying." She added that both she and her husband were stunned to see the crowd stand up and support Jack in total silence and respect.

5. Reaching for the Stars

“An amazing thing took place at Carmel High School’s graduation,” Riolo said about the video that became viral online, saying that their plan was so successful since they "shot for the moon but instead reached the stars."

What will Jack do after his graduation?

4. Ability Beyond

Jack is now in a program called Ability Beyond, which takes place in Chappaqua. Through the program, he will be able to become an intern where his job skills will be tested, but also where he will learn life skills like cooking and more.

3. Proud Parents

Shaileen Brighton-Ortiz, the assistant director at the program says “he’s doing great,” so now we know why Jack’s parents are so proud of him!

2. An Unforgettable memory

Barbara admitted that she will never forget the graduation ceremony and that the Carmel High School Class of 2019 deserves all the credit for it, adding that it’s all about “the kids and what they did.”

1. Teaching Others to Be Good

Barbara is so happy about "the fact that my son was a catalyst to making all this goodness happen, he made his impact ... on so many people." In his special way, Jack was able to teach others how much important is to show kindness to those that need it.