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| Jack Higgins approaches the stage to accept his diploma |
When Jack Higgins took to the stage to accept his high school diploma, he put his fingers in his ears expecting to hear cheers and applause.
Instead, he heard silence.
CNN reports that Jack has a severe form of autism and is sensitive to noise. After eight years in his high school's program for students with cognitive, learning or behavior challenges, he was ready to graduate on June 20.
His parents wanted him to participate in the ceremony, but they were concerned that he would be overwhelmed sitting for hours in a large auditorium surrounded by hundreds of people.
Principal Lou Riolo, principal of Carmel High in Putnam County, New York, had an idea: ask everyone to sit in silence as Jack approached and accepted his diploma.
But could high schoolers, caught up in the excitement of graduating, be trusted to stay silent?
Accompanied by his two brothers and school aide Rob Ancona, Jack approached the stage with his fingers in his ears, having practiced for weeks to handle the loud noises.
Instead, he received a spontaneous, silent standing ovation.
"The students were amazing," Riolo told CNN. "They are a class act and superseded expectations. For example them rising to their feet after Jack received his diploma was them. It was not preplanned and no one told them to act like that that."
"I have been lucky and blessed to see some really remarkable things in my 31 year career but this so far has to be the most incredible," added the principal.
"But as much as the students rose to the occasion so did Jack," gushed Riolo. "Since Jack is very limited verbally, how overwhelming was it for him with a large crowd and expectation that it would be loud?"
"It was so brave of him to take that walk which must have seemed like forever and he did it with grace, class and strength."
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| Students giving Jack a silent standing ovation after receiving his diploma |
