Eighth grade graduation

Seems like the hoopla surrounding an event is in inverse proportion to the event's actual significance. Really, moving from eighth grade to ninth isn't much different from seventh-to-eighth, nothing like the accomplishment of finishing high school or college. But, oh boy, what a to-do!

I went to a kindergarten "graduation" two years ago, and although that is just as silly in concept, at least all the adults there realized it was a toy ceremony for a cute photo-op (which I reinforced by providing a recording of "Pomp and Circumstance" played on a music box). And no one would keep a roomful of kindergartners for hours. But this eighth-grade ceremony was oh-so-serious, with the same "your whole life is in front of you" speeches, Charge to the Graduating Class, and all that stuff, and it went on for almost three hours (followed by a reception). I've never been to a high school or college commencement which was that lengthy.

Every "graduate" gave a speech, supposedly limited to 2 minutes (although many went over). Thirty graduates; you do the math. And about half was in French (it's a bilingual school), but it was equally content-free in both languages (some students who studied third languages threw in phrases in Spanish or Chinese). I mean, what does an eighth grader have to say? "I'd like to thank my [subject] teacher for helping me through the rough times and always being supportive." "I'm going to miss you all SOOOO much!" "My first day here I was all scared and never though I'd make any friends but now I know you're the best people in the whole world." Trust me, this isn't any more inspiring in French.

I don't have any problem with acknowledging the completion of eighth grade (or any grade). A pat on the back would be nice. But do we need a whole ceremony?