What will graduation 2020 look like?
One thing is for certain, it won’t be a traditional gathering at a Vancouver hotel or even a big ceremony in a school gym with hundreds of people present.
Even those overnight parties at Whistler and grad cruises where senior students celebrate together are likely cancelled for this year.
With provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry continuing to prohibit gatherings of more than 50 people, and parks closed for social distancing, many students will be out of luck this year.
However, it’s not too late to plan something, and School District 43 has confirmed Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody high schools are working on plans for recognizing this important milestone.
“We are looking at alternative ways to provide recognition and an opportunity to celebrate,” superintendent Patricia Gartland confirmed Tuesday during a virtual school board meeting via Zoom.
Although she didn’t elaborate, Gartland said it’s important to recognize students’ accomplishments and said high schools are already working out ideas.
The Tri-City News reached out to a few parent advisory councils whose members are among the most active and spend months organizing elaborate dry grads with prizes, games and music.
But at this point no one was prepared to speak about alternatives to the usual pomp and ceremony.
Yet as every parent who has had a graduating student knows, this end of year event is as big as a wedding, with hundreds of dollars spent on parties, fancy dresses, suits and limousines.
Many students — and their out-of-pocket parents — will likely be disappointed if they can’t get dressed up and socialize with friends.
The problem should spur some creative thinking, according to one SD43 parent, who helps organize the Enchantment Project, a fundraiser where money and dresses are collected for students needing assistance with grad costs.
“I’m hoping that the district looks at some sort of event so at least these kids can put their gowns and tuxes and walk across the stage, even if each high school does it in August,” said Shari O’Neill.
Students have already chosen gowns from the collection obtained this year, O’Neill said, and they’ll want something to do to recognize all the effort they put into obtaining their Grade 12 diploma.
For soon-to-be graduates in high school, college and university, though, the pandemic threatens to impact several meaningful milestones — events like graduation, prom, grad night, and other end-of-year celebrations that would’ve brought together family and friends before they move onto the next chapter of their lives.
These students didn’t have the chance to say proper goodbyes or make the most of what should’ve been their final days on campus or school.
Indeed, when The Tri-City News spoke to several senior students earlier during the COVID-19 crackdown, many of them mentioned not being able to socialize with friends being one of the biggest impacts from the pandemic, although all recognized how important physical distancing is to fend off the deadly contagion.
High school students aren’t the only young people whose milestones are impacted by COVID-19.
UBC and SFU announced earlier this year that convocation was cancelled for the spring although a virtual ceremony would go ahead.
SD43 was one of the last to acknowledge in a public statement that graduation ceremonies wouldn’t go ahead, although something creative might come out of it.
For O’Neill, whose group helps organize hair and make up and paid for tux rentals, not going ahead with grad will be a big disappointment for many.
She said despite physical distancing measures, a ceremony could be held where students are spaced apart and walk on a stage, picking up diplomas off a table while family and friends watched via a live stream from home.
“There needs to be some sort of recognition, I hope it happens,” said O’Neill, who says she’ll remain optimistic that something special can be arranged for this year’s crop of grads.
