Most schools offer different levels of graduation honors, from cum laude to summa cum laude, or "highest honors." This distinction was first used at what was then Harvard College, in 1869. If you graduate from high school cum laude, you should be proud, since it means your grades were high enough to distinguish you as one of the best students in your class. The literal Latin translation of cum laude is "with praise," and it's pronounced with a long e sound at the end.