Despite the COVID-19 pandemic that shuttered their classrooms, seniors at Charleston High School will get to participate in a formal graduation ceremony, but it will be unlike any other the school has experienced.
The East Tallahatchie School District Board of Trustees voted Thursday night, May 14, to approve a commencement plan submitted at that time by Superintendent Darron Edwards.
"In a collective effort to commemorate the Class of 2020, we have collected data (survey) from parents, leaders and, most importantly, the students of the graduating Class of 2020 to hear their voices and opinions," Edwards noted in a written document presented to school board members.
"As the superintendent, I have personally communicated with a significant [number of] students individually, in small groups and via video conferences. In addition, we have collected data from all seniors. After reviewing all the feedback, the students overwhelmingly decided with more than 95% voted ... that a private ceremony with social distancing guidelines was desired," Edwards continued.
The plan calls for graduation to be held on Friday, May 22 — the date originally set before the start of the school year — at the usual venue, the Morgan Freeman Auditorium on the CHS campus.
The ceremony will include "all segments of a traditional graduation," Edwards noted.
Each student who has met the qualifications will receive a diploma or certificate.
That is pretty much where the similarities to past graduations end.
Graduation usually is a late-evening and nighttime mass event with the school's auditorium, which has a posted maximum seating capacity of 880, packed with nervous graduating seniors, beaming parents, other well-wishers and school officials.
Because of the novel coronavirus, this year's graduation ceremony will be much more intimate. In fact, Edwards refers to it as a "private graduation," as the event will not be open to the general public.
Charleston's 2020 commencement exercises will be held in broad daylight, getting underway at 8:15 a.m.
Waiting to greet everyone on the lawn outside the auditorium will be yard signs paying tribute to each individual candidate for graduation, Edwards said Tuesday.
The graduation will consist of separate morning and afternoon phases, with a noontime break, he added.
Each graduating senior will be given their own time slot to appear for their personal special moment. This is designed to eliminate the usual clustering of waiting seniors in front of the auditorium. White lines drawn on the concrete walkways in front of the auditorium mark where individuals are to stand on Friday, allowing for the CDC social distancing recommendation of 6 feet of separation between persons.
During the ceremony, each senior will enter a front door of the auditorium and proceed down the left aisle. His or her entourage — a maximum of four guests are allowed — will enter separately, one at a time with the required spacing, and walk single-file down the right aisle. The senior will step up onto the auditorium stage and be given his diploma, and, Edwards noted, guests of the graduates may take photographs at this time. Afterward, the newly-crowned graduate and his party will proceed to exit the building through a side door adjacent to the school's cafeteria and staff parking lot, near St. Charles Street.
On Tuesday, seniors were asked to appear at the auditorium — handfuls at a time and scheduled at staggered 10-minute intervals — to learn more precise details about the order and execution of the pomp and circumstance that awaits them. They were required to wear face masks and plastic gloves.
While the ultimate goal of Friday's event is to provide a formal graduation experience for CHS seniors, keeping students, visitors and school representatives safe is the top priority, the superintendent noted.
"As a district, we will implement all safety-specific guidelines as identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," Edwards continued.
All students and other participants, including students' guests, will be required to wear a face mask and gloves at all times inside the auditorium. "No exceptions," said Edwards. "We will strictly enforce this safety measure."
He added, "In the event someone shows up without gloves or mask, we will provide," explaining that a supply of masks and gloves was donated to the school "specifically for graduation."
Required social distancing will be closely monitored for compliance, Edwards noted.
There will be no seated crowd of hundreds, and the comings and goings of each graduate will be witnessed by only a handful of people within a practically empty auditorium. However, the ceremony will be captured by still photography and a live video recording to be shared publicly soon after the event.
"A professional photographer will document and capture each student walking across the stage during this special moment with their diploma," Edwards said.
In addition to live footage, the recorded video will include some prerecorded segments, including speeches by valedictorian Ja'Maya Batteast and salutatorian Jackie Ho.
The video will be made available for public viewing on the district's website, Facebook page and YouTube "shortly after the professional videographer has edited and uploaded the video to the district website," Edwards said..
He said the school district will purchase a copy of the video and graduation photos.
In closing, Edwards said he is viewing prospects for the upcoming ceremonies "optimistically," while expressing appreciation for the public's "support, patience, prayers and special consideration" in helping the Charleston High School Class of 2020 to experience a successful graduation.
One bonus of this year's graduation is that "all senior graduation expenses," will be covered by the school district, according to Edwards.
IN THE PHOTO: The Morgan Freeman Auditorium on the campus of Charleston High School — the setting for May 22 graduation — is visible in the background of this photo from May 15, 2020. (Photo by Clay McFerrin)
Editor's note: This story has been updated from its original version.
