Advice for grads amid COVID-19.
With COVID-19 restrictions in place, parents, communities and schools are struggling to give graduates the celebrations they deserve.
Even though traditional graduations and proms aren’t happening, there are still a few unique ways to mark the occasion and make students feel special.
Here are five ways to celebrate graduates during a pandemic.
1) Show your love with a food — The way to students’ hearts may very well be through their bellies, so why not serve your favourite graduate a fancy meal full of his/ her favourite foods? Setting up a “one smart cookie” or “candy” bar is another fun and simple way to celebrate. A candy bar could include: Smarties for the “smarty pants” graduate, candy “class rings” and gummy “book worms.” A candy or cookie bar is a delightful way to provide a sweet ending to a new beginning.
2) Take a trip down memory lane — Looking back through the years is a fantastic way for graduates to see how far they have come. Dig out old pictures and display them for everyone to enjoy. Taking photos of graduates in their caps and gowns holding pictures from their preschool graduations (or from their first day of school) is wonderful too.
3) Use technology — When social distancing keeps graduates, teachers and families apart, technology can bring them together. Zoom call parties and class videos can really help graduates feel included in a bigger celebration.
Jayden Lempiere from Corner Brook, N.L., is graduating from Corner Brook Regional High School. As an art student, Lempiere is understandably disappointed that she will not have the opportunity to wear the prom dress she designed. Instead, her class will be using technology to celebrate the 2020 graduates.
"It is extremely sad that none of the 2020 class in Corner Brook will receive a graduation," said Lempiere. "In place of a graduation, our school has decided to prepare a graduation video of the class of 2020."
It's not the graduation the students were hoping for, but it is a safe way to celebrate and honour their accomplishments.
4) Give sentimental gifts — Thoughtful gifts can be the perfect way to make graduates feel remembered on their special day. Memory books containing pictures from their journey through school are simple to create online. A glass ball Christmas ornament containing their graduation tassel makes a unique keepsake too. And if they don’t have a tassel, it is easy to make one in their school colours using embroidery thread.
5) Have a community celebration within the public guidelines — Many communities are getting creative and putting together celebrations that adhere to current public health guidelines and restrictions.
Chloe Shenouda of Bedford will be commemorating her graduation from high school by creatively operating within the public health guidelines. Her graduation from Charles P. Allen High School will include a graduation ceremony that will take place over three days. The graduates will arrive in cars and have the opportunity to walk across a stage, while adhering to social distancing directives. After the ceremony and photos, Shenouda will be heading home for a small family celebration.
“We will miss out on a lot of special memories from graduation day and prom,” said Shenouda, “but we are happy to at least have the chance to wear our caps and gowns and receive our diplomas.”
Hilarie Gaudet from Summerside,
P.E.I., will be celebrating in a similar way.
Her mother, Kendra Gaudet explained.
“There are 215 graduates at Three Oaks Senior High school this year. A graduation ceremony will take place between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. with groups of 15 students at a time. Students will walk across the stage, receive their diploma and then exit the school immediately. Two parents are allowed to attend per grad. Graduation will be live-streamed for other family members to watch. We will take the grad gown home, have a family gathering and get photos. Then, after all her friends have graduated, we will meet up with others to get some group, social distancing, photos. We also hope to have a “prom parade” this summer and then the grads will go to the local drive-in, sit in their cars and watch the graduation video on the movie screen.”
All graduates in the Atlantic provinces may not get a chance to wear their prom dress and/or walk across a stage this year, but there are still many ways to celebrate their achievements during this unpresented time. Parents and communities are being called on to use their imaginations, think outside the box, and help graduates to create some memories in new and unique ways.