The familiar strains of "Pomp and Circumstance." The rows of young men and women, decked out in caps and gowns, marching down the center of the auditorium. The flash of cameras as proud parents and grandparents jockey for position, trying to preserve these moments for posterity.

Graduation season is upon us, with commencement exercises to be held this Saturday at the College of William and Mary for Gloucester High School and on the following Saturday at Mathews High School.

Graduation day is a special occasion—not only for the students themselves, who celebrate the conclusion of 13 years’ work; and not just for the parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and other assorted kin who will join them in their celebration.

As Hillary Clinton famously wrote in her book, it takes a village to raise a child. While we may not feel as though we played a role in these students’ success, we have. As they head off to college, or prepare for a caree...