“Class of 2021, class dismissed.” Those were the final words graduates at White County High School heard before throwing their caps in the air at the end of last night’s graduation ceremony at Warrior Stadium.
It was a far different ceremony than the one held last year at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
In 2020, the school turned its parking lot into an outdoor movie theater, complete with a Blackhawk helicopter flyover. The unique ceremony was livestreamed onto the big screen as White County School Superintendent Dr. Laurie Burkett hand-delivered diplomas to seniors in their assigned parking spaces.
This year, the seniors walked up to Burkett, crossing the stage in a traditional ‘victory lap’ to the cheers and well wishes of family and friends in the stands.
View White County graduation video here
Rain forced school officials to delay the scheduled 8 p.m. start time by one hour. Onlookers filed into the stands and waited beneath umbrellas until the ceremony proceeded as planned. Elbert County also held its graduation outdoors in the Granite Bowl.
Banks and Rabun County schools moved their graduation ceremonies indoors.
The night before graduation, Dr. Burkett expressed a sentiment shared by all when she reported to her local school board the system’s COVID-19 stats for the week. She followed up her report saying, “…and that will be our last COVID report, hopefully forever.” According to WRWH News, those present at the meeting applauded.
