Several Graduations Planned for Friday
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
EAST TEXAS – The Class of 2020 will always remember the day they graduated. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s graduating class has had a bit of struggle – through no fault of their own – to reach that special day.
Some of the area schools have already held commencement ceremonies and their seniors are now graduates. Grapeland, Elkhart, Palestine and Kennard have all conferred diplomas on their graduating seniors and now wait to see what the 2020-2021 school year brings.
There are still a few area high schools, however, that are yet to graduate. Crockett, Latexo, Lovelady and Slocum will all hold outdoor graduations on Friday, June 5.
According to the Crockett ISD website, “Crockett High School is excited to offer a face-to-face graduation ceremony for the class of 2020 to celebrate their accomplishments and to offer closure to their high school career. The plan listed below has been designed to follow current social distancing policies while still offering a culminating moment for our graduates.”
The ceremony is scheduled for 7:00 pm on Friday June 5th. If bad weather requires cancellation, the ceremony will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday June 6th.
“Utilizing Monte Jack Driskell Stadium,” the website stated, “we will be using the home side stadium seating only, which will be marked into sections for the families to maintain social distancing guidelines of 6 ft. Each graduate will be allowed to bring four (4) guests to the ceremony. Each graduate’s group must stay together during the duration of the face to face ceremony. During the ceremony yearbook staff will be taking pictures and an official video of the ceremony will be made. It is anticipated the entire ceremony will last approximately 1 hour. Attendance at this ceremony is entirely voluntary, and if the graduate and/or his family feel attending the ceremony is a health risk, please follow personal preferences. The ceremony will also be available to view via live streaming.”
The Latexo Class of 2020 will travel to the outskirts of Grapeland for their graduation.
According to the school district’s website, “The 2020 ceremony will be on June 5th at 8:00 PM at Salmon Lake Park in Grapeland. This is an outdoor venue with 8 guests only allowed per graduate. We will live stream the ceremony on Facebook, and KIVY will carry it live on 92.7 FM.”
In Lovelady, graduation ceremonies will be held on Friday, June 5, 2020, beginning at 7:30 pm at the Lovelady High School Football Stadium. Admittance will be by ticket only.
The Lovelady ISD website cautions, “Please remember there are strict guidelines that will be followed. We have detailed plans to meet all the guidelines. Those plans have been gone over with ever graduating senior and a parent/guardian.”
Rounding out the area schools, Slocum ISD will also hold their graduation ceremonies on Friday, June 5.
The Slocum ISD website states, “In compliance with Governor Greg Abbott’s Executive Order No. GA- 21, an outdoor in-person graduation ceremony will be held at the Slocum High School Baseball Field on June 5, 2020, at 8:00PM. The total number of participants may not exceed 700 people.”
Graduates and school officials will be seated on the infield grass using moderate distancing between chairs. Graduates will enter and exit the ceremony through the gate nearest the 3rd base dugout.
Family members of each graduate from the same household may be seated in two sets of 5 chairs (10 total) assigned by the district located in the infield dirt area between the infield grass and the outfield grass line. (Chairs should not be moved.) Participants selected by the graduate to sit in the assigned section should enter and exit through the gate nearest the 1st base dugout.
Additional participants may be seated in chairs provided by the district that are spaced out in the outfield grass. Only members of the same household may be seated together in grouped chairs. (Chairs should not be moved.) Additional participants should enter and exit through the gates nearest the foul poles on each outfield fence.
Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].
