Last night, the Bates family attended The Crown College of the Bible's graduation ceremony, during which three Bates children walked across the stage. Talk about an exciting evening!
Tori graduated magna cum laude (with great honors) with a bachelor of science in elementary education. Josie graduated from the cosmetology school and the Bible program. And Trace graduated from the Bible program.
If you enjoy this blog, be sure to visit Ellie's other blogs (NashvilleWife.com and DuggarFamilyBlog.com).
Photos courtesy of thebatesfamily.com
Tori graduated magna cum laude (with great honors) with a bachelor of science in elementary education. Josie graduated from the cosmetology school and the Bible program. And Trace graduated from the Bible program.
Tori (Bates) Smith, Trace Bates, Josie Bates
Gil and Kelly Bates with the graduates
Josie Bates, Kelton Balka, and Kelton's dad
The graduates with [some of] the family members who attended
If you enjoy this blog, be sure to visit Ellie's other blogs (NashvilleWife.com and DuggarFamilyBlog.com).
Photos courtesy of thebatesfamily.com
time 11:25am
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Trace Josie & Tori go out there & follow your dreams. I will do the same Iam 29 about to be 30 & I attend a workshop for disabled grown ups called dreamstreet. I wrote a speech about it. Cant wait to read it for the dreamstreet gala. the speech is about dreamstreet.
That's awesome!
DeleteGood for you, Neddy! I hope you have a wonderful time at the gala.
DeleteEnjoy giving your speech at the Gala Neddy - love your positive attitude!
DeleteThat's great! Congratulations to all 3 of them.
ReplyDeleteTori looks like she's hiding a lil something there!
ReplyDeleteWell, if you're going to go there, all three of them look like they're hiding something. Where do you want them to hold their diplomas, over their heads?
Deletelol, thats funny because i was thinking she looked pregnant when they did the interview for the wedding episode!
DeleteAnon @ 11:08. She is holding her diploma in exactly the same way as her brother and sister, are they hiding a 'lil something' too?
DeleteTrace is pregnant!!! Lol
DeleteCongrats to Tori and Bobby on the sweet little one.
DeleteCongradulations,you three!
ReplyDeleteSo nice to see these kids having goals and pursing higher education. It may just be from Crowne, but at least it is from somewhere and they are allowed to mix with other kids, as well as get some new experiences and friends besides their siblings.
ReplyDeletedoes "just be from crowne" mean that it isnt a good enough college? i absolutely beg to differ! it may be a bible based school but that doesnt mean thats all they learn. didnt erin also graduate magna cum laude from crown? apparently the bates and the school are doing something right!
DeleteYes i totally agree Michelle!
Delete4:13- I'm not saying that Crown isn't a good school, but their post-graduate in-field job placement rate is quite poor. It's hard to say why this is so. Perhaps it's because so many of them earn theology or ministerial degrees and there are a limited number of job opportunities in this area. Or, maybe most of the women graduates get married and have no intention of working. Job placement rates were one of the first things we checked out when my own kids were looking at colleges and potential fields of study.
DeleteI am happy for the Bates children that their parents place a high priority on post-secondary education or training. I wonder if any of them had or will consider a different college. It was stated that Katie is interested in nursing. Crown College doesn't have a program for that, so she'd have to go somewhere that does.
Yes Crown has some strict rules but so does the Christian college that Bobby went to. However AFAIK Crown has nothing to do with the IBLP ministry and I'm sure the Bates have met people there who disagreed with them on various tenets.
DeleteMany secular colleges also have a certain slant to their curriculum and a lot of people who are NOT interested in dialogue with people who disagree and demand such things as "trigger warnings" and "safe spaces".
As for the academic standards the college was recently accredited (albeit regionally).
What will be interesting is where Katie plans on going after Crown; she is currently in their 1 year Bible program, but if she wishes to become a nurse she would have to get that degree elsewhere.
On the state website Crown is not on the list as an accredited college for a teaching credential. I’m not making light of their program but Tori would not be able to teach in a secular school. She could tutor, Home school, or teach in a religious school. Despite that, she has my congrats for pursuing education in any capacity. The same for Trace & Josie.
DeleteOk, I expect to get blasted for this comment but couldn't Kelly have dressed up just a little for 3 kids graduation? Gil had on a suit and the other kids had on ties and nice dresses but Kelly wore her standard outfit of a skirt with a shirt and vest. She looked lovely at Carlin's wedding. I just don't see why she couldn't have gone to a little more effort for a graduation.
ReplyDeletei am so not blasting you, but kelly looks just fine and is obviously comfortable with herself. she would have looked out of place had she dressed up like at tori's wedding. not to mention that the day is really all about tori, trace & josie's accomplishments. my son is graduating from college this weekend and i will wear my one and only dress that i've worn for every shower, funeral & important get-together, and if my husband were still alive, he'd wear a suit just like gil. i would do anything to have my husband in his suit next to me in my simple dress. i think my son just wants me at his graduation, regardless of the fact that he's seen this dress a hundred times! and i am sure there will be people/family in jeans & shorts (this is florida!) and more casual clothes but its really not that big a deal what the parents are wearing, as long as they are there
DeleteKathy: Michelle Duggar is the same its like a uniform. Maybe Kelly feels comfortable dressed this way, but there are smart casual outfit choices that would look so much better on her. Many women of Kelly and Michelles age can suffer from a lack of self confidence (Im heading there!), but both look really good for their age. Maybe Kellys older daughters could treat her to a makeover and give her some fashion advice, i've always thought she is a very pretty lady.
DeleteI agree with 4:41. Might be self esteem. Kelly seems like a lovely person, inside and out. Maybe she just likes to dress like this and that's fine and I should not judge. But I do think she would look much better in a dress or different type of top and her own daughters could definitely make it fun and give her some ideas. Oh well! They obviously had a great day so that's the important thing.
DeletePeople were dressed in all different ways at the graduation. Some people were very dressed up but most wore casual church attire. I did see some women who wore pants and T-shirt’s and dressed very casually. Kelly looked just fine and not out of place at all.
DeleteWho cares how she dresses? It is nobody's business but hers.
DeleteHonestly it's none of anyone's business what she wears. I saw nothing wrong with what she wore.
DeleteAnon at 6:56PM: Thanks for the report. I have seen the same phenomenon at other college graduations; some people who attend are dressed very formally as if for a wedding or funeral, others in "Sunday suits" or "business casual" attire, and some dressed more like they're going to a ball game.
DeleteAfter years of dressing up at graduations for 5 kids, the last college graduation I went to was jeans and nice shirt. I looked nice and felt very comfortable for once.
DeleteI'm sure her children where just happy she was there to support them.
DeleteCongrats to all and best wishes as you journey on to the next chapter of your lives. God bless you all!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Tori, Josie, and Trace! You did it. May God bless you in your careers. :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Tori, Trace and Josie! 🙂 God be with you! 🙏Blessings and Love! 😇❤️
ReplyDeleteDuggars take note!
ReplyDeleteStop it and be nice.
DeleteDo you take note of how other families live and model your life after theirs? The Duggars can choose what they feel the Lord wants them to do. They are not the Bates and shouldn’t try to be. By the way one of the Duggar boys received the same degree as Trace.
Deleteagree
DeleteLets just be happy for the Bates and not compare them to the Duggars.
Delete...sort of. Only Tori seems to have earned a 4-year degree.
DeleteYes Duggars take note. You don't have to do the same thing the Bates or anyone else does.
DeleteI totally agree 6:58.
Anon at 6:58PM: I assume you're referring to Joe Duggar? Yes, he also went to Crown for their 1 year Bible program, and he actually had to leave his family and live in a whole different state for a year to do so. In a way he showed more independence in doing that than the Bates kids, who commuted to Crown while still living at home.
DeleteThat was obviously an awesome occasion for the family. Congratulations Bates's.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to the three graduates
ReplyDeleteCongratulations - such a beautiful family.
ReplyDeleteWhat is Trace planning on doing with his certification?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Tori, Trace and Josie!
ReplyDeleteBig congrats to all three!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!!!! Wonderful that they have interests that they could persue a high education in.
ReplyDeleteCongrats you 3. Your show makes me want to be a better person. Please make the show an hour.
ReplyDeleteI think they did!
DeleteCounting On is an hour and pretty redundant...I think adding time could hurt BuB. Better to leave viewers wanting more than ready to turn the channel or tune out/ go to blogs such as this for recaps. Just a thought....
DeleteCongrats to you all !!!! Love your show so much!!! God Bless!!!
ReplyDeleteIt’s just enough though and keeps it relevant. Additional time could spell trouble for ratings as they might do recap after recap, flash backs, old footage etc....not just once per episode but before every segment (i.e. going in and out of commercials)
DeleteSo great to see this. Congratulations to the graduates and especially to Gil and Kelly who have encouraged their children to seek higher education and go after their dreams. I am so impressed with them. Lovely family !
ReplyDeleteHow does a bachelor of science degree fit in with the whole Crown philosophy on Science?
ReplyDeleteScience is a work in progress until proven fact. Crown is fixed belief. They seem mutually exclusive. From PhD
Interesting comment. A Bachelor of Science doesn't even necessarily have anything to do with studying science (for instance, I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics).
DeleteAre you for real?! B.S. is the field from which Education is derived. There are generations of research as well as new brain research that guides educational philosophies and practices.
DeleteThat depends what the course deference are between a B.A and B.S. I’m at a school in Oregon and For a BS I could take extra mathematics courses, computer science or traditional ‘science’ such as bio, chem, physics. 3 courses in stats and a physics class about the eye/camera lens fulfilled my requirements! Some BS also require a year of language vice 2 for a BA.
DeleteI’ve seen students on the city’s public transportation reading a Bio text about following creationism. Northwest Christian Univ is near by, so various curriculum exists whether it’s inhouse created or they support a publisher.
A Professor I had for winter term used a text she contributed to and was also an editor. Personal belief systems aside, we are the instructor’s perspective. UO College of Ed supports Pearson Publishing, so essentially it’s feels the same, one prescribed point of view.
Food for thought. Congrats to them for w/e program/certification they completed, takes commitment and discipline!
Congrats to Tori, Trace, and Josie! Proud of all three of you!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Tori,Trace and Josie. Wishing you a future of success and happiness.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn,Joan and Marion
Time 6:50PM Wed 5/9/18
ReplyDeleteI don't like the comment that said Duggar take note. First off both families are successful you don't need to go to college to be successful. This blog is about nice comments not bad ones. Bates are different from this family. This is about the 3 Bates kids not the Duggars.
Neddy you are so sweet! I wish we lived closer so you can come for tea!
Delete