McClatchy seniors have missed out on everything: their final homecoming, their spirit rallies, their prom, and their senior sunrise. Now, they’re working feverishly in hopes of realizing an in-person graduation plan and salvaging their final milestone of high school.
“We’ve lost so much,” said senior student body treasurer Claire Mitchell. “I think people are really committed to getting an in-person graduation and it’s something that people are really holding onto hope for.”
In a March 14th Sunday Night Roar, Principal Andrea Egan updated Lions, announcing that she hoped to set a graduation date very soon. While graduation plans remain unclear, she said that she will notify students and families immediately whether it be live, drive through, or virtual.
“Please know that our school district is working to research viable options and we should have more clarity soon,” she said.
Meanwhile, the ASB graduation committee headed by Mitchell, is considering three different plans depending on COVID-19 rates in Sacramento. The best scenario would see an in-person graduation ceremony at Hughes Stadium, where the event would be held outdoors with plenty of space for families and students to spread out. If an in-person ceremony isn’t safe enough, plan B includes a drive-through graduation at McClatchy. Students could decorate their cars and Principal Egan and other staff could announce names of seniors as they drive through the campus while collecting their diplomas. The final alternative plan would be an all-virtual ceremony.
A graduation at Hughes Stadium has emerged as the most favorable and tangible plan for an in-person ceremony. On February 18th, PTSA graduation night coordinator Anne Hawley started a petition to the Sacramento City Unified School District requesting that all SCUSD seniors receive an in-person graduation, and it proposed that ceremonies be held at Hughes Stadium. The petition has collected nearly 600 signatures as of March 21st and the numbers continue to grow.
“If all the district high schools had their ceremonies at Hughes, the district would only have to come up with one implementation plan and all high schools could pitch in. Hughes Stadium also has a direct access to the light rail, and I think that’s really critical for families who don’t have cars or don’t have access to transportation,” Hawley explained.
With June rapidly approaching, SCUSD has still not released any clear guidelines or backup plans for graduation ceremonies. Many seniors and their families are growing concerned that if no concrete proposals are made, they’ll have no choice but to graduate on Zoom. Hawley insisted that students and parents would keep pressuring the district.
“We will continue to go to board meetings to speak up, and go to board members to advocate for clear communication,” said Hawley.
With senior prom out of the question and having missed out on most of their time as upperclassmen, seniors look to their graduation ceremony as a final hope for one last high school memory.
“I know a lot of people are feeling like we’re about to be adults and these are our last glimpses of childhood. To me, graduation represents the day we’re done being a kid. If we could have just this one day, it would be really nice,” Mitchell said.
If fellow lions are interested in supporting an in-person graduation for the senior class, they’re encouraged to sign the petition to SCUSD named “Class of 2021 deserves a graduation ceremony”. Lions are also welcome to attend the McClatchy student forum happening on March 24 to learn or ask more about graduation.grad article