I have a big event coming up in a couple of weeks. I will be facilitating the induction ceremony for students at my school that have made it into the coveted National Technical Honor Society. I am the adviser for this school club, so it is my job to tend to all the details, finalize eligible students and orchestrate the ceremony.

I remember doing it last year, for the first time. I had only been in this position for six months when I had to do it. This is a “big stage” moment. It’s big deal for the kids – it is prestigious, looks good on their resumes, and affords opportunities for special scholarship monies not available to non-members.

This year, we have sixteen students participating in the ceremony, fifteen new inductees and one senior who carried over eligibility from last year. Last year, we had 10. We have exactly 30 minutes to complete the whole ceremony, which includes me explaining what the seven points of honor are, the candle lighting ceremony, having the kids recite a pledge (a repeat after me thing – a nightmare for a person who stutters). Then I call each students name, they come to get their certificate and their photo opportunity.

Last year, when I met with the students for practice, I had let them know that I stutter, and that when we got to the pledge part where I said “please repeat after me”, I asked them to not “repeat the stutter”. It was pretty cool of me to do that, and the kids didn’t bat an eyelash. When it came time to repeat those lines, one by one, they did just that, and ignored the stuttering.

When I called the names for the kids to come up and get their certificates, I stuttered  on just about every name. No one seemed to really care except my boss, who offered his negative critique the next morning.

So, if I have already done this once last year, what’s the big deal? Well, I am worried. There are more students names to call, and the same amount of time. I am worried that the time pressure might exasperate my stuttering. I am OK with it, but wonder if I should say something this year, when I get up to introduce myself and get the ceremony started. My concern is this: I don’t want the night to be about me and stuttering. Its the kids’ night, and their parents. It their time to shine.

But I also don’t want to NOT  say anything, and have parents sitting in the audience, possibly wondering, “What’s up with her?”.  Part of me feels like I should say something light and humorously right away,  and quickly make it a non-issue. Then I will feel relaxed and no one will have anything to wonder about.

The other part of me worries that it might not be politically correct to make such a disclaimer on a big stage. It might open one of  the “image conscious school personnel”  up to criticism or discomfort. I also don’t want anyone thinking I butchered the kids names. I want people to know, “hey don’t worry – its just stuttering.” 

That’s my inclination – that’s what I want to do. But the occasion is bigger than me. I am going to seek opinions. Any here?