What's with all the graduation banners? (Atlanta: buy, living, stores)

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

...
It isn't just about the students, the parents, or even the individual name... I kinda of see it as a community building thing too.

I can't help but to notice we establish ourselves by school clusters as often...if not more often than city limits or zip codes. I think its nice to kinda have a reason to show that across the whole area every year.

This.

[kirkwoodhipster]

Originally Posted by Box

Exactly. I have friend who dropped out and they're still kicking themselves about it. People should be happy that communities/parents celebrate when their kids graduate, hopefully it'll encourage other kids not to drop out.

So having your name on some stupid banner in some lame SUBURBAN subdivision is supposed to ENCOURAGE people to graduate high school??

oh no, if I dont graduate, I wont get to have my name on the banner!! PLEASE.

The only good thing about this LAME tradition started by SUBURBAN trollops with nothing better to do is that they cover CONTRIVED subdivision names. Not having to look at a brick wall welcoming me to Village Mill, a collection of DATED houses connected by CURVILINEAR streets and no village or mill, is the only REDEEMING quality.

[MilkMachine]

So funny you mention this. I have lived in Atlanta/Decatur for almost 10 years and I have never seen a graduation banner until this year! I noticed them while driving around in Roswell and John's Creek. I don't think I've ever seen one in Decatur, although I do see the little signs that say "Congratulations Decatur High School graduates" etc. without the list of names. Of course, we don't have many actual subdivisions in my area, anyway. I also never saw anything like this in my hometown back in Florida.

I don't have any strong feelings about them either way, I had just never seen such a thing until this year. I asked my friend who lives in Alpharetta and she said they have been common the whole time she has lived here (also going on a decade) but I don't think she had seen them before she moved to Atlanta, either.

[Listennow32]

Have children one day. You will see

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by MilkMachine

I have lived in Atlanta/Decatur for almost 10 years and I have never seen a graduation banner until this year!

I have lived here for decades and haven't seen them until recent years. They are a nice idea though.

[GeorgiaLakeSearch]

I have three kids and do not get this crap what is the big deal you graduated high school. I graduated from high school we had a little family party, received some nice gifts. It was no big deal. How do you not graduate HS unless you are poor and have to work a full time job to support yourself. Look up the GA state standards it is not that stringent. Some parents just like to talk about what their kids have accomplished because they themselves have not accomplished anything.

[Big L]

Considering what we pay in HOA dues, there better be a banner up each year! *lol*

On a serious note, I didn't see graduation banners until I moved here. I don't see a problem with it at all. Sure, you're "supposed" to graduate from high school. However, it is still good to celebrate the accomplishment. If there is no need to celebrate, then you are free to not give your own children anything for graduating. While you're at it, give your parents and family members back whatever they may have given you when you graduated (gifts, money, etc.) if you really feel that you shouldn't celebrate graduating from high school. The previous statement was meant to sound silly, just as some people sound silly fussing about other people putting banners up to honor their own children.

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaLakeSearch

I have three kids and do not get this crap what is the big deal you graduated high school. I graduated from high school we had a little family party, received some nice gifts. It was no big deal. How do you not graduate HS unless you are poor and have to work a full time job to support yourself. Look up the GA state standards it is not that stringent. Some parents just like to talk about what their kids have accomplished because they themselves have not accomplished anything.

I don't understand why some of us seem so irked by other people celebrating their kids' accomplishments. A family I know has a huge graduation banner on their house. They are of working class background and neither parent ever attended college. Their son is an honor student and university bound. They are a close family and tremendously proud of him. Why this sort of thing should bother bystanders or inspire derogatory comments I can't imagine.

[cittic10]

Thanks for all the replies.
I didn't really mean for *my* OP to be a criticism of graduation banners.
Even though "being a critic's the game," I was more interested in finding out why it was really done since I've heard

a.) It was more for the parents and
b.) the banners are left up long after school gets out

I've chosen a couple replies to reply to that apply to several replies that were directed at me so here goes...

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

I've always thought those banners are charming. They express community pride and support for the young people at this important life transition.

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When I first moved here, I thought the same thing. OH how nice it is that parents do that for their kids. And frankly it still is a nice thing to do (except for the ones with pictures on them, that's a little insane).
But as the years go by and I see more and more banners each year, I have to wonder why a 10' banner? Really? Is a banner that necessary? And to post it prominently at the entrance of a subdivision?

It all seems rather like a competition (for the parents).

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

Every year as I drive by I recognize names I've picked up at my kid's school thinking "oh, so that's where the Xs live" or "lots of people matriculating to Georgia Southern this year." It's interesting.

+++
Of course being from florida, the last thing in the world you want to do there is post personal details about your teenagers for all the world to see.

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

This year my daughter's name is on a graduation sign at our subdivision entrance. We're in East Cobb too, so ours may even be one of the signs that has particularly pained gtcorndog. Who knew?

+++
Is the banner still up and if so, why?
And...
Why at the entrance and not over say.. your garage? Doesn't your daughter have a better chance of seeing it if it's on your own property rather than at the entrance?
And...
What prompted you to do it?

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

Happily for those sensitive individuals who are distressed by this shameless exhibitionism (even covering up subdivision names!) it'll all be over in a week or so, for another year.

I can't speak for others but I wouldn't say I'm so much distressed by this phenomenon, more than I am deeply curious about why it goes on.

Graduation Banners are allowed under my counties sign ordinances however it's very vague. I haven't read it in a while but last time I did, it didn't limit the size, duration or location where the banners can be placed and our county is strict about signs used for every other purpose.

So, what if next year, someone in the neighborhood rented one of those mobile billboards with a 10' x 30' "congratulations Billy" and parked it in the common area? At what point does it get out of control because I think a yard sign is perfectly reasonable and frankly, I think a group banner is reasonable but there's always those people that want to kick it up a notch.

Regarding covering up the subdivision name, that just seems like an all around bad idea. If you try to give directions or you tell the 911 dispatcher the name of the subdivision, it's not the best idea that the name is covered up, wouldn't you agree?

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

Wow! so cynical!

It isn't just about the students, the parents, or even the individual name... I kinda of see it as a community building thing too.

I can't help but to notice we establish ourselves by school clusters as often...if not more often than city limits or zip codes. I think its nice to kinda have a reason to show that across the whole area every year.

That's another thing.
I get such a kick out if it when someone posts a banner for a highschool that is outside of their school district. Then you can clearly see who got their kids in a different school. Some parents here wanted their kids in the buford city schools even though they don't live within the city limits.

Originally Posted by MilkMachine

So funny you mention this. I have lived in Atlanta/Decatur for almost 10 years and I have never seen a graduation banner until this year! I noticed them while driving around in Roswell and John's Creek. I don't think I've ever seen one in Decatur, although I do see the little signs that say "Congratulations Decatur High School graduates" etc. without the list of names. Of course, we don't have many actual subdivisions in my area, anyway. I also never saw anything like this in my hometown back in Florida.

I don't have any strong feelings about them either way, I had just never seen such a thing until this year. I asked my friend who lives in Alpharetta and she said they have been common the whole time she has lived here (also going on a decade) but I don't think she had seen them before she moved to Atlanta, either.

Another great point. This does seem like a suburban thing.
I too am from florida. I lived all over that state minus the pan handle and never saw a single graduation banner or even yard sign. I've been here about 12 years and I've noticed them from day 1 here.

I asked a friend who sells signs on the internet about graduation banners. He told me that he sells quite a few graduation banners and they are all shipped to GA addresses. Not just atlanta suburbs, but other cities in GA.
He said he notices those because they're a lot more work. They have a lot of names and customers expect them to find out what their highschool colors, logos and mascots are.

He also told me that at one point, you could do a search for the term "graduation banners" and the results that came up were all for sign shops in metro atlanta.

And, this time of year, I normally do a lot of traveling to other cities. Keep in mind, those schools are still in session, and I never see them. And I'm talking about cities with lots of suburbs and subdivisions. So I was curious as to why it appears to be a GA thing.

Originally Posted by billl

And that's why you don't get it.

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I admit! That's why I don't get it. That's why I'm asking. Please feel free to explain it to me.

Originally Posted by billl

You think kids make it through high school all on their own?

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Are you suggesting that the parents should get congratulatory banners instead?

[billl]

Originally Posted by cittic10

Nowhere else do you see graduation banners like here.

I don't get it.

I don't have kids.

And that's why you don't get it.

You think kids make it through high school all on their own?