My youngest son, Joseph, graduated on Saturday. I am proud of him, and as I told him, not just because he graduated from high school, but because he has really grown in maturity over his 18 years, and taken responsibility for life. He not only graduated from high school, but managed to do so with with 46 college credits by taking dual-credit course. If he gets full credit for them, that will be the equivalent of his freshman year.

But the other blessing to the dual-credit courses is that he already understands that college courses are more difficult than high school courses. Therefore, you have to work harder. He has learned that lesson.

He has also accumulated a healthy dose of scholarship money for his first year of college. That is a real blessing.

All photos are copyright © Timothy J. Hammons, 2025.