What is your favorite Franklin tradition and why? The Holiday Program and Graduation. The Holiday Program marks the ending of the calendar year and the beginning of winter break with a wonderful community vibe. The chilly winter evening, with dimmed lighting, families and friends presenting traditional winter festivities and it ends with Byron’s reading of T’was The Night Before Christmas. Graduation is an emotional day filled with joy, happiness, and pride. For me, there is a touch of sadness because the community we spent all year building is now dispersing, the students are cleaning out their dorms, and soon campus will be empty. Franklin’s graduation does a great job at recognizing ALL students and not just the graduating class. A ninth grader is eligible for awards in various subjects and it has to do with their academics and not with what grade they are in. The faculty member voted to give the end of the year speech always makes it personal to the class, including highlights from various students accomplishments, inside jokes that are intended for only the seniors to understand, and a strong message of how to proceed to the next steps. Then the student speaker will give their address to the class, this moment rarely leaves a dry eye in the audience.