Graduation ceremonies still happening — at drive-ins, on the water and virtually

Due to many statewide stay-at-home guidelines and restrictions against large gatherings, traditional high school graduations have been canceled across the United States.

But many high schools have found creative ways to still honor their seniors, including hosting virtual graduations or holding ceremonies at drive-in movie theaters.

Drive-in theaters

A drive-in theater in Monroe Township, Ohio — near Cincinnati — said it has fielded calls from every high school in the area, according to WSBT. The theater has the capabilities to hold 300 vehicles at a time and all would be separated by six feet, the TV station reported.

Not too far away in Oldham County, Kentucky — just outside Louisville — Sauerbeck Family Drive-In said it has received interest from schools to host events at each site, which can also hold 300 vehicles.

“We hope to find a setup that would allow graduates to walk across a stage at 6-foot spacing (like the Walmart checkout),” the drive-in posted on Facebook. “Visitors would still have to remain in their cars.”

An Idaho school district announced this week that it will host its graduation at a 460-spot theater, according to the Associated Press. Likewise, a school district in Hanover Township, Pennsylvania will have its high school graduation the same date as originally scheduled, but at a theater, according to WNEP.

“We can watch the entire ceremony that’s based on the screen, so prerecorded valedictorian, salutatorian speeches, administrative speeches, and then we would do a slideshow of all the graduates,” Superintendent Nathan Barrett told WNEP.

Virtual graduations

Other seniors will graduate from the comfort of their own home.

Many virtual graduations will take place across the country, including in Fort Laurderdale. The superintendent in Broward County said in a message to graduating seniors the school district’s goal “is to use technology to make your graduation personal and memorable,” according to WPLG. The school district will broadcast its graduation on TV and stream it online next month, the TV station reported.

Some Houston-area schools still hope to have traditional ceremonies later in the summer, but will hold graduations online in the meantime, according to KPRC. Alvin school district Superintendent Carol Nelson said their hope with having two graduations “will give our seniors a sense of closure with high school and allow them to look ahead to their future endeavors with hope and positivity,” KPRC reported.

Some of these upcoming graduates aren’t as thrilled with ending high school virtually, however. Some petitions have been set up by seniors who do not want online graduations.

“I speak for my fellow seniors .. in that we would rather have no graduation at all if our only option is a virtual,” wrote Alejandra Diaz, a student at a San Antonio-area high school. “We understand the situation we are in due to the pandemic, but we would rather wait a couple of months to graduate than graduate in front of a screen.”

South Carolina seniors are also frustrated with their schools hosting virtual graduations, WMBF reported. Macie Rabon, an upcoming graduate at Aynor High School, told the station, “I just feel like graduation was just snatched from under us.”

Other innovative graduations

Virginia’s Louisa County High School is holding its graduation over a five-day span, when seniors will wear the cap and gowns and pick up their diplomas with their parents in an otherwise empty football stadium, the Daily Progress reported.

“We’re so blessed,” senior Justin Brown told the newspaper. “We knew Louisa was going to come through for us.”

Then there’s Wisconsin’s Sturgeon Bay High School, which will hold its ceremony in a boat procession, according to WLUK.

“Here’s how it will work: Each senior will be called to the pier,” WLUK reported. “Board President Teri Hooker will present the diploma and turn the tassel. A photographer will take an official graduation picture. Each graduate will then proceed to the end of the pier and board a boat. There will be one or two graduates per boat and the driver.”

This story was originally published April 24, 2020 at 10:36 AM with the headline "Graduation ceremonies still happening — at drive-ins, on the water and virtually."