How to Earn a Graduation Stole
There are lots of reasons you may want to wear a graduation stole, whether it’s to make your family proud, stand out among other students, or just make the most out of your graduation experience. Thankfully, there are just as many ways to earn a stole as there are reasons to wear one.
Here are a few of the routes you can take to earn your stole for graduation:
Join a Club or Sports Team
Members of clubs, academic or not, are almost always eligible to wear a stole. Double-check with your school to see what types of clubs are eligible; they may even recognize clubs outside of school, such as 4-H. Joining a sports team is a sure way to earn the privilege as well.
Participation in extracurriculars is also a great way to meet like-minded students and make lasting memories. Find a club or sport that interests you and go for it!
Win an Election or Class Honor
Valedictorians, salutatorians, and student council members are all distinguished with stoles. While it’s not the easiest path to earning one, achieving any of these honors will make you stand out on both the graduation stage and your college or job applications.
Take a traditional approach and honor your heritage
Your school likely recognizes some traditions to honor one's heritage. For example, many schools also have Kente stole traditions, where African/African-American students don stoles in the hand-woven, colorful Kente patterns of West Africa. Honoring their heritage is a great reason these students wear a stole.
Check with your school’s official graduation attire guidelines for all the ways you can earn a stole.
