Impressive graduation ceremony awaits RCHS Class of 2020
‘My message . . . is to congratulate them on rising above the most adversity I have ever seen a group of students and families endure’
Denied the customary pomp, ceremony and ritual that surrounds a typical high school graduation, 54 members of the “historic” Rappahannock County High School Class of 2020 will nevertheless ever forget being awarded their diplomas Saturday evening, July 11.
“I hope that they will always remember the pre-COVID days, but will also remember how they and their teachers and their parents rose to the challenge when COVID put a damper on so many of our traditional activities,” says RCHS Principal Jimmy Swindler, who with Executive Assistant to the Principal Kar
en Sanborn, Counselor Dani Pond and fellow school leaders are bringing students and family members the nest choreographed graduation ceremony one could ever hope for in this pandemic era.
“We’re going to have a stage here, with a canopy tent over it, and 400 pound concrete bases so it won’t blow away in the event of a storm, and we will have steps on each side of the stage,” describes Swindler, as he paces this week around the high school’s empty parking lot where this unlikeliest of graduation ceremonies will be held.
Three semicircular rows of cars will be parked in front of the stage, he continues, lled with parents and other family members of the graduates. Each student is allowed a maximum of two cars for the ceremony, with oversized vehicles parked furthest from the stage so as not to obstruct views.
The high school additionally has secured a sophisticated sound system that will pipe into each vehicles’ FM radio the sounds of the ceremony, including addresses by RCPS Superintendent Dr. Shannon Grimsley, School Board Chairman Wes Mills, Salutatorian Skylar Culberston and Valedictorian Lauren Petty.
Family vehicles above the maximum limit of two will be directed to the school’s practice eld, which minus the view will hopefully be close enough to receive the FM signal. The ceremony will also be streamed live by the Rappahannock News (rappnews.com/ video) for remaining family and friends at home. Unfortunately, Swindler points out, the graduation ceremony is not open to the public.
Before receiving their diplomas, the graduating seniors will form a line — always adhering to social distancing — to the le of the stage. When each of their names is called they will proceed up the railed steps, receive their diploma placed by itself on a decorated table, walk across the stage and exit down the opposite stairs.
Once all the diplomas are presented, there will be a separate “turning of the tassel” ceremony, which signi es a student’s transition to graduate (at the high school level, the tassel is worn on the right side of the cap, then moved to the le side once diplomas are awarded).
According to Sanborn, an impressive 47 of the 54 graduates have been together in RCPS since kindergarten. Apart from their hard-earned diplomas, each student will also be presented with their personal time capsule that they compiled in the 8th grade, as well as a ash drive containing the slide show from the senior banquet.
The graduation ceremony begins at 7 p.m., with graduates asked to be present at their high school one nal time at 6 p.m.
“My message to the Class of 2020 is to congratulate them on rising above the most adversity I have ever seen a group of students and families endure,” Swindler replies when asked to describe the unprecedented year for RCPS, and the high school in particular. “The lessons learned about perseverance, persistent optimism, and perspective will pay huge dividends as they continue this adventure we call life . . .
“And based on the smiles I have seen at our drive-by events — cap and gown presentation, academic awards/scholarships presentations — I am quite con
dent that our parking lot will be lled with the broadest of smiles this Saturday evening.”
“And don’t forget your cowbells!” Sanborn adds.