School ended for Georgia students on Friday, May 22 but not all seniors got to graduate. Many county school systems delayed graduation over concerns about COVID-19. Not White County. The White County High School Class of 2020 participated in traditional graduation with a pandemic twist.
The school hosted a drive-in-theater-style ceremony Friday night. The county rented a massive inflatable outdoor movie screen and the school bought an FM transmitter so that students could listen to the ceremony on their car radios.
It was a logistical and technological challenge and, while there were a few glitches along the way, it was an evening those who attended will not soon forget. That’s what school administrators wanted, that and to make the juniors jealous.
COVID-19 stole from this class many of the milestones students look forward to during their senior year, but it also bonded them with new memories.
“I think the night was far more EPIC than we could have imagined,” says WCHS Assistant Principal Adam Wiley who spearheaded the effort. “We sought out to honor our seniors and I truly feel we did just that. When issues arose, we solved them and moved forward. The entire White County team poured their hearts and souls into the graduation and it showed.”
Live video and flyovers
The evening began just before dusk. Seniors parked in assigned spaces that were staked out with yard signs with their names and pictures printed on them. They parked in the same order in which they would have lined up in the stadium. The band played pomp and circumstance. The chorus sang the school’s alma mater. And a Blackhawk helicopter did a flyover during the National Anthem.
There were class speeches and cheers and cars honking and in the midst of it all, every senior got their moment to shine. Due to social distancing guidelines, they didn’t walk across a stage to get their diplomas, instead, the county school superintendent and high school principal walked their diplomas to them. As Wiley announced each of their names, the seniors stepped to the front of their vehicles in cap and gown. Their photo was projected onto the big screen along with a live video feed so that everyone could share in their moment.
Tik Tok video by Kayla Fullerton
White County Warrior TV Executive Director Robert Lundy coordinated the live coverage of the event. He and his team are also putting together a video of the graduation.
The entire White County team poured their hearts and souls into the graduation and it showed. I am honored to work with and serve our community,” says Wiley. “We all may be exhausted today but it was a wonderful experience and we would do it over and over to serve our kids.”
Hopefully, they won’t have to. As long as the situation improves with COVID-19, there’s a strong expectation that schools will reopen. There are three months between now and when that would happen.
In the meantime, juniors at White County High are looking ahead to their senior year. Did last night’s graduation make them jealous? “No, not jealous,” says junior Bradley Filaski. “In fact, I am proud of what was done considering what all we just went through and continue to go through.”
