Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman’s guidelines have kept schools in Arizona closed for more than two months at this point.
With all school events similarly canceled, schools in the state have cancelled their normal graduation festivities. But in the absence of the usual speeches, walks across the stage and pomp in caps and gowns, schools are seeking to honor their students finishing their time at the school in unconventional ways.
Mingus Union High School
Last week, Mingus Union High School sent a letter to parents reminding them of the school’s cancelled graduation, which, according to Superintendent Mike Westcott, led to frustration from the community.
This week, the school district has responded to frustrations by announcing a “Turning the Tassel” event to be held on Friday, May 22, the day that the school would have had its normal graduation events.
Students are being invited to the Mingus auditorium, where they will walk across the stage one by one and receive their diploma and senior shirt. However, to limit crowds, seniors will be coming in to walk in waves, with half-hour blocks of students coming in alphabetically.
Students are permitted up to four guests each, though the district is encouraging all to continue to adhere to social distancing guidelines and avoid the ceremony if they are feeling sick or exhibiting symptoms.
“It’s not a virtual ceremony, but yet a chance to cross the stage in cap and gown and receive their diploma, which from the feedback we were getting was really what folks were after,” Westcott said. He noted that much of the event’s normal accoutrements, such as the choir or speeches, would be absent. “That closure — a lot of folks were telling us before we created this plan, and after as we sought input, they were telling us that for them, the culminating event, the stamp of the event is literally the act of walking across the stage, hearing your name, receiving the diploma and photo op.
“If we could at least provide that piece, that would be satisfactory, based on feedback.”
The evening of May 22, the school is following up the events with a video streamed live at 7 p.m. featuring every student’s name and picture, speeches by the valedictorian and salutatorian, and messages from faculty, staff and others.
Cottonwood-Oak Creek Schools
Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District is hosting six different ceremonies over the course of this week for 8th grade promotion for its four different schools. Unlike Mingus, the school will not be replicating the walk across the stage, but will be having its students and parents gather together for the ceremony.
But instead of holding the events in person, parents will park with their children in the school parking lots, to enjoy the event from inside their cars.
Oak Creek Elementary School already had its event in the Dr. Daniel Bright parking lot Monday, May 18.
Each family will one by one be instructed to drive to the front of the parking lot, where school mascots will hand them their promotion certificates.
“No individual will be allowed outside of their cars,” the district’s guidelines read. “Please allow six feet at all times between cars, between other families. Families who do not respect COVID-19 promotion protocols will be asked to leave.”
Clarkdale-Jerome School
Clarkdale-Jerome School is taking the in-car promotion concept even further, by planning a full parade Thursday evening starting at 5:30 p.m. The line of cars will come from Jerome, drive down Stare Route 89A before looping back around at W. Black Hills Drive and turning back the other way, winding through Centerville Road to Clarkdale Parkway and eventually down Main Street before arriving at the school, where board members will provide families with a promotion certificate.
“We feel it is the next best thing to a face-to-face ceremony, and our community can see our students as they drive by to congratulate them,” Clarkdale-Jerome Superintendent Danny Brown wrote in an email. “We anticipate cars being at the school around six-ish, but not having done this ever we don’t know.”
Private Events
With Mingus students missing out on some of the normal festivities, Helaine Kurot, who employs several current and recent Mingus Union High School students at her auto repair shop, 360 Automotive, is hoping to plan a separate graduation parade for students on June 13, though it is not directly affiliated with the school.
Kurot has only recently applied for the relevant permits and said she is not certain about all the details yet, especially with the future of social distancing requirements remaining up in the air, but hopes to be able to provide students with some celebration if their usual opportunities are cut short.
Kurot hopes that the seniors will decorate vehicles for the parade and is applying for funding from the Arizona Community Foundation as well as partnering with Angie’s House for the event.
