The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Big day arrives for Class of 2020
62 Harding High School seniors to receive diplomas; participate in car parade
Members of the Fairport Harding High School Class of 2020 will be enjoying several moments in the spotlight.
Members of the Fairport Harding High School Class of 2020 will be enjoying several moments in the spotlight on May 29.
The 62 graduating seniors at Harding will receive their diplomas at the high school at different times throughout the day, using a system that conforms to state guidelines for social distancing and group gatherings during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Later in the evening, those graduates are invited to participate in a car parade during which they’ll receive congratulations from residents standing along streets throughout Fairport Harbor Village.
In addition, the Class of 2020 will be the stars of a video that’s being created based on the presentations.
Graduation plans for the Class of 2020 were highlighted at the Fairport Harbor School Board meeting on May 26 by Harding Principal Katie Rumbarger.
“I’m feeling really good about Friday (May 29),” Rumbarger said during the board meeting, which was held remotely. “The kids seem to be feeling good about it. I did have a couple different meetings with parents, the village, as well as the seniors.”
All Harding seniors have been given an assigned time on May 29 to come to the high school to receive their diplomas. Each student, along with a maximum of four guests, will wait in their cars until being summoned into the school.
Once inside, each student will be handed his or her diploma by parents or other guests, and then walk across the stage in the auditorium, carrying the cherished certificate.
“We will have a professional photographer as well as videographer there to capture that moment,” Rumbarger said.
Once the diplomas are distributed, she said work will begin on what she described as a “virtual commencement” video.
“A couple of different moving parts to (the video), but the culmination will be the kids walking up the stage (with their diplomas), and (the videographer) will be able to splice all that through, so we can have that for a YouTube viewing in the near future,” she said.
At 6 p.m., Class of 2020 members will assemble for the car parade that will travel throughout Fairport Harbor.
The students have been encouraged to decorate their cars with balloons and signs for the procession, which will line up in the 1000 block of Third Street. From there, the caravan will follow this route, according to the Fairport Schools Facebook page: • west on Third Street • south on Vine Street • west on Fifth Street • south on Eagle Street • east on Sixth Street • south on Vine Street • west on South Street • south on Plum Street • east on New Street • south on Vine Street • west on Orchard Street • south on High Street In addition, Rumbarger is hoping that the Harding 2020 graduates will be able get together for an outdoor party later this summer at the high school’s football field once the threat of
COVID-19 diminishes and rules for group gatherings are relaxed.
The Fairport Harding Class of 2020 not only achieved a 100 percent graduation rate, but also recorded another academic distinction, Rumbarger noted.
They are the first graduating class in Fairport Schools history in which all class members graduated with either college credits or a career credential. That feat accomplished a key goal in a district plan called the 20/20 Vision, Superintendent Domenic Paolo said.
Paolo, during the board meeting, praised Rumbarger for gathering input and developing plans to make commencement a memorable experience for the Class of 2020, in spite of obstacles.