‘Grateful and proud’
High school students graduate during pandemic
SUMMERSIDE — In the middle of a pandemic, Grade 12 student Ryley MacWilliams is “surprised and thankful” to send off his high school career with an in-person prom and graduation.
“I’m very grateful and proud of P.E.I.,” said MacWilliams, who attends Kinkora Regional High School. “This wasn’t just the work of our school, but the work of everybody on P.E.I. for agreeing with the guidelines put in place.”
According to MacWilliams, aside from following COVID19 guidelines, this year’s graduation is similar to previous years. It will be held in the school gym, with each of the 45 graduates being allowed three guests.
“I have never been so thankful to be from a small school,” said MacWilliams.
Not only has the pandemic not halted Kinkora’s graduation plans, but related events, like grad breakfast and prom, also remain largely unaffected.
“I didn’t think it was going to happen in the slightest,” said MacWilliams. “This year, a lot more is happening, which I would never have bet money on.”
The biggest change to graduation events, according to MacWilliams, was with the prom parade.
He said they wanted to have a parade down the highway, with bystanders on the sidewalk. To be more COVIDfriendly, though, MacWilliams said the current plan is a reverse parade, with parents driving by graduates instead.
According to Erin Johnston, assistant director of the Public Schools Branch, graduation ceremonies are a “mixed bag” across high schools.
Much of what schools can do depends on the size of the graduating class and the size of the graduation venue, she said.
“It wouldn’t be dissimilar to what other organizations would have to do on P.E.I. right now in order to host gatherings,” said Johnston.
According to the Prince Edward Island website, that means indoor or outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people — or up to four separate groups of 50 — with an operational plan approved by the Chief Public Health Office.
Despite the pandemic, Johnston said every school has been approved for an inperson graduation ceremony this year.
“I think throughout this school year, there’s been doubt in everything at different points in time,” said Johnston. “However, I think that knowing we were able to pull that off last year ... we were very hopeful and confident we would be able to do it inperson again, this year.”
Meanwhile, Kensington Intermediate Senior High’s graduation will look similar to the way it did last year.
The 55 graduates will be in the school gym, and families of up to four can go inside to watch their child receive their diploma and award on stage, said Donald Mulligan, principal at KISH.
“We’re pleased. We were pleased last year,” said Mulligan. “The key for (students) is they want to be together. It’s their graduation ... so we’re able to keep the wishes of the students.”
KISH’s prom, meanwhile, took place May 22, though the planning of it was the responsibility of the parents, rather than the school.
Although the pandemic has had a minimal effect on his graduation, MacWilliams still said the end of his time in the public school system will look different than he imagined.
“I had always seen graduation as the end goal of going through the public school system,” said MacWilliams. “I really wish things would go back to normal, but I think we’re definitely making the best out of the situation now.”