A&M Consolidated High School senior Philip Olivieri and his parents have been wondering for years how he would cross the stage at graduation.
"We've talked about this throughout his high school career -- about what happens when graduation comes," Philip's mom, Lisa Olivieri, said recently. "[Administrators] have always said there's nothing we can do."
Philip, 18, has cerebral palsy and uses a 300-pound wheelchair to get around.
By the time his senior year arrived, Philip said, he'd seen enough kids have to turn around and go back down the ramp at Reed Arena after receiving their diplomas to know that he wasn't interested in doing that.
"I just felt that it was unnecessary. It wasn't that complicated to put in some kind of ramp," he said, explaining that in the past, College Station seniors who couldn't use stairs have had to turn around because there's only one ramp to the stage. "I just didn't feel like it was really fair for me to have to go up there and turn back around and have to go in front of everybody. I wanted to go the same way as all my friends."
So Philip said he went to A&M Consolidated Principal Ernest "Buddy" Reed and asked the school to install an extra ramp this year.
It worked.
Olivieri is among nearly 1,500 high school students in the area who will cross the stage and receive their diplomas this week. Seniors from several local private schools already have graduated.
Bryan High School will host the largest ceremony in Bryan-College Station by far with nearly 785 seniors who will receive their diplomas Saturday at Reed Arena. A&M Consolidated High School has 550 students who will graduate Friday at Reed Arena. Both districts have slightly more graduates this year than last.
School officials from both Bryan and College Station will be figuring grades and preparing diplomas up to the hour before the students graduate.
With nearly 20 years of teaching, College Station district spokeswoman Ann Ganter has seen thousands of her former students cross the stage.
It's an "incredible feeling," she said.
"We have a hug line in College Station. So as they come off the stage, you're there to hug them. That gives meaning to everything we do. That's why we're here," she said. "We realize at graduation what all it has taken to get here. All of it comes together on this night at Reed Arena."
Bryan schools spokeswoman Sandra Farris, who is also a former teacher, said graduation ceremonies never get old.
"Even if you've been to more than 20 like I have, it never fails to give you a sense of pride to see students cross the stage and know that we've prepared them well for the rest of their lives," she said.
Lamar Alternative High School, Brazos Christian School, Allen Academy and St. Joseph Catholic School seniors have already received their diplomas at ceremonies this month.
The 23 members of St. Joseph's graduating class garnered $1.4 million in college scholarships, school officials said.
Philip Olivieri will attend the University of St. Thomas in Houston this fall to major in history and vocal performance with the aid of $6,000 in scholarships.
On Saturday, he will enter and exit the stage with 550 of his classmates. It's a small change, but one he said makes him proud.
"I am because it's not just for me, it's for everybody else, too," he said.
IN SHORT
Local graduation and commencement ceremonies:
* Timber Academy commencement is set for 7 p.m. Thursday at the A&M Consolidated High School auditorium.
* The Brazos School for Inquiry and Creativity graduation will be at 7 p.m. at the school on Briarcrest Drive in Bryan.
* The A&M Consolidated High School graduation will be at 7 p.m. Friday at Reed Arena on the Texas A&M University campus.
* The St. Michael's Episcopal School graduation is set for 5 p.m. Friday at the school chapel on South College Avenue in Bryan.
* The Bryan High School graduation will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday at Reed Arena.
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