The Emporia High School senior class of 2020 visited the school one final time Sunday to receive a proper sendoff into the next stage of their lives.
After original graduation plans were forced to be abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic, USD 253 administration, students and families have spent the past several months constructing a ceremony that would both keep in line with local and state health guidance while providing students with the recognition they deserve. This led to Sunday’s drive-thru graduation ceremony at the high school where the parking lot was full of 2020 senior class members and their families in the safety of their vehicles.
EHS Principal Dathan Fischer says that graduation is a right of passage that these students have rightfully earned and they were not going to deny them of it, pandemic or no pandemic.
Fischer believes the adversity and challenges students have had to face over the past few months, while unfortunate, has helped to further prepare them for the real world.
Throughout the afternoon vehicles lined up in the back parking lot of the high school and caravanned around to the front of the building where seniors received their diploma covers and a moment of recognition on stage. Following this, the vehicles then proceeded to the old tennis courts where students received their actual diplomas.
The ceremony was also live-streamed on www.emporiaproud.com, KVOE-TV at KVOE.com and on ValuNet channel 3.
Photos by Tagan Trahoon/KVOE News
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