A Day to Remember

With cars lined up, divided into six rows, the seniors rolled forward toward the stage. Cloud storms gathered in the south, but the sun shined brightly down on Northeast Middle/High School, Sunday, May 17. The radio was on, and commencement began; a day the Class of 2020 will always remember.

A graduation like no other, seniors truly experienced a unique ceremony this year. Schools throughout the nation have thought of many creative ways to still celebrate the milestone. As a former graduate of Northeast Middle/High School, I am very proud of what they put together for this year's graduating class. My sister and so many of her classmates worked so hard to get their diploma and get to where they are now.

When states began closing schools there was always the question of what's next? Will prom still happen? What about sports? What about final musicals/plays? What about graduation?

While being hopeful, in the back of their minds, students and staff knew that they may not return for the remainder of the school year. Plans started forming, and the school finally made a decision. Reaching out to the local radio station and photographers/drone services, the school put together a wonderfully unique program for the students.

One car per family (two if parents are separated), the cars made their way, one-by-one closer to the stage where they crossed and received their diploma. After crossing the stage and returning to their vehicles, the students drove around to the end of the line to allow the other cars to approach the stage. When all the students received their diploma, the class of 2020 paraded through the small community of Goose Lake.

For friends and family who could not attend the ceremony, they were able to tune into the radio station or watch a live stream ceremony. For Laura, a set of grandparents in the south (Florida) and an uncle on the east coast (Virginia) were able to tune in to show their support, sending in screenshots they captured as she walked the stage.