Delayed and delayed again!
Gravette graduates finally have their day in the sun
GRAVETTE — Graduates of the Class of 2020 have had to wait and wait again to finally graduate from Gravette High School, but ceremonies finally took place on a hot July afternoon on Sunday.
Ceremonies in May were postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak and, with state approval, were scheduled for Saturday evening. But once again they were delayed, this time because of impending thunderstorms that moved into the area just about the time the ceremonies were to be held in Lion Stadium. The ceremonies were rescheduled to 3 p.m. on Sunday, and there was not a cloud in the sky to give shade on the very warm afternoon.
But, in spite of the heat, the ceremonies were held and Gravette’s Class of 2020 — just over 120 students — finally got to walk across the stage, receive their diplomas and celebrate their accomplishments over the past four years as students of Gravette High School. Some students who could not be present because they were already away to begin their service in the military were honored during the ceremonies.
The ceremonies were a bit different this year, with graduates and their families wearing masks and social distancing on the field. There were no congratulatory handshakes or hugs shared between students and teaching staff. When diplomas were presented, it was Mom or Dad, Grandpa or Grandma, or another guardian who picked up and presented each graduate his or her diploma before posing together for a photo before leaving the platform.