CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2020!
Alternatives to traditional
graduation ceremonies
When the novel coronavirus
COVID-19 struck
the world at the end of
2019, few people anticipated
just how much the virus would
upend daily life in the months
to come. Because there currently
is no cure or standardized
treatment for the disease,
the best course of action has
involved maintaining social
distance to help cut down on
the rate of spread.
Social distancing has
changed the way the public
shops, interacts socially with
friends and family members
and attends school. For the
thousands of students comprising
the class of 2020, social
distancing also changes
how they will graduate.
Graduation decisions are
something high schools and
colleges have grappled with
in the face of social distancing.
Graduation has become
a modify-as-you-go model in
many towns and cities. In
some instances, all in-person
ceremonies have been
restricted and virtual-only
graduations will take place.
For example, New Jersey’s
Department of Education was
only allowing virtual graduation
events as graduation season
approached.
Other parts of the country
have been approaching graduation
COURIER L 18 IFE, MAY 29 -JUNE 4, 2020
plans in various ways.
The Tucson Unifi ed School
District postponed its graduation
ceremonies to late June
rather than canceling them
altogether. Schools in Spotsylvania
and Fauquier Counties
in Virginia held modifi ed
versions of in-person ceremonies
in May, which limited the
number of family members in
attendance and required relatives
to hand out diplomas as a
safety precaution. Students in
Cherry Creek School District
in Colorado found out they
will have a modifi ed in-person,
students-only graduation
ceremony in July. Relatives
can watch the ceremony on a
live stream.
The Army will proceed
with this year’s graduation
ceremony at the U.S. Military
Academy at West Point
in June, with President Donald
Trump giving the commencement
speech for cadets.
The 1,000 cadets will return
to campus to attend the ceremony,
which will include procession
changes and other social
distancing modifi cations
in line with current health requirements.
Whether a school hosts a
graduation ceremony in-person
or not, families can organize
their own at-home graduations.
All relatives who are
graduating (whether from
high school, college or even
those moving up from fi fth
grade to middle school and
eighth grade to high school)
can participate. Here are a few
tips:
• Pool resources to borrow
the right number of caps or
gowns from friends or family.
• Play “Pomp and Circumstance”
over a bluetooth
speaker.
• Have the graduates march
around the perimeter of a
yard or down a neighborhood
street.
• Ask a relative to give a
keynote speech.
• Take graduation photos
outside of the school doors or
on campus where allowed.
• Cater a graduation luncheon
or dinner from a favorite
neighborhood eatery.
• Employ all necessary
safety precautions, such as
seating guests six feet apart
from one another and wearing
masks.
Graduation ceremonies
have changed due to COVID-19,
but graduates can still commemorate
this milestone moment
in their lives.