MEMPHIS, Tenn. — COVID-19 has forced all of us to make the best out of a challenging situation, so high schools across the region are now putting a new twist on the traditional graduation.
After weeks of online learning, empty hallways and silent classrooms, Christian Brothers High School came alive Wednesday afternoon.
“Anything that we can do to support them and show our thanks, it’s a blessing,” associate principal Jamie Brummer said.
Nearly every one of the 206 seniors came out for a drive-thru graduation.
A Purple Wave parent suggested the idea to CBHS administrators, but it’s a trend that’s gaining popularity as the class of 2020 looks for closure to their high school careers.
Oxford High School in Mississippi also hosted its own makeshift graduation, with students driving by the school and walking across the stage.
The Chargers broke up their seniors in small ceremonies over the course of five days to uphold CDC safety guidelines to let seniors feel special one last time.
Schools across the Mid-South are allowing students to celebrate during an unprecedented challenge, but faculty and administration said they’ve enjoyed the socially distant reunion just as much as their students.
“We’ve been doing great work online, but there’s really no substitute for human interaction, so we got a little taste of that again today,” Brummer said.
It’s not a typical graduation, but the drive-thru ceremonies achieve what a traditional graduation can do: making a unique and lasting memory.
“To see their faces today, to really see their faces, even if it was through their car windows, that was different; that was special,” Brummer said.
Both Tennessee and Mississippi are still working on school reopening plans for the upcoming fall semester.
