By Mary Heyl | June 02, 2020 | Reprinted from www.observertoday.com
GOWANDA – How can Gowanda honor a decades-long tradition of hosting an in-person commencement ceremony at Hillis Field while also abiding by executive orders that call for social distancing and gatherings of no more than 10 people? That is the question that Gowanda High School Principal Rebekah Moraites has been grappling with for months. During the last school board meeting, she was pleased to share her answer, which involves Hillis Field, a drive-in movie theater, and more!
Interestingly, this year is only her second commencement ceremony with the district since her hiring in the fall of 2018. Over the past few weeks, she surveyed the 85 seniors and their parents to learn their preferences for graduation in light of COVID-19 restrictions. In a school board meeting over Zoom, she explained to board members that the majority of respondents wanted an in-person commencement that allows more than two family members to attend. She noted that most were strongly against having a Zoom/internet-only graduation due to unreliable or unavailable internet. Additionally, most wanted to keep the original June 26 date instead of moving it to August, as many students are leaving for boot camp or college.
“We want to provide closure to our seniors in June; we believe that they deserve that,” Moraites explained. Ideas she considered include a parking lot graduation, which violates executive orders; a virtual ceremony, which students did not want; a drive-through graduation on Hillis Field, which would damage the grounds; and a student-only ceremony (spaced six feet apart) at the field, which also violates executive orders. The solution?
“We’ve decided on a staggered in-person ceremony for 10 minutes at a time,” Moraites announced. She added that this “degree conferral” is part one of a two-part ceremony that would also include a video component. During the degree conferral portion, students and their families are invited to individual commencement ceremonies to be scheduled the week of June 15.
“What we like about this is that we would do it in 10-minute appointments for our graduates so that that student has the opportunity to walk through Hillis Field,” Moraites explained.
“They can have their immediate families there, and they will be in their cap and gown or in traditional Native American dress.” Moraites, Superintendent Dr. Robert Anderson and Mark Nephew, school board president, would be in attendance to give students their diplomas.
“I feel this is a dignified approach and respectful of the Hillis Field tradition. The plan would be socially distant and safe. The only person approaching an employee would be the student,” said Moraites. She said that currently, the class of 2020 is working on creating graduation face masks for the occasion.
There will be photo opportunities at Hillis Field, and Moraites has also ordered banners with the Gowanda mascot and logo for photos. Commencement programs will be mailed home to students, too.
Moraites said, “This will take us over 20 hours to do this, so Dr. Anderson and I will be spending almost the entire week handing out diplomas. Certainly this is not the easiest thing for us to do, but we think that it is the most respectful to tradition and what our families deserve.”
Significantly, the degree conferrals are scheduled a week before the original graduation date. Moraites said that this will give her and the district’s technology staff time to create a video for part two of commencement.
She explained, “The second component is that they will celebrate together but apart on June 26. We will have a class of 2020 car parade in downtown Gowanda … to culminate in a video celebration of images from degree conferrals and all the traditional elements of commencement speeches.”
Moraites said this celebration montage will be viewable by all students, as they can watch together in their cars at the Big Indian drive-in movie theater in Irving. “Thank you to Eric White, who graciously donated his facilities to us, and we’re really excited to work with him, especially considering all our families who don’t have internet and can’t stream it.” She added that those who can’t attend the drive-in event can livestream the pre-recorded video through the school’s social media pages. Board members were thrilled with the idea. Lynn Guzzetta said, I think it’s beautiful. My heart breaks for these kids, and I think it’s a great idea. Thank you.”
Board member Janet Vogtli agreed. “I think you really knocked it out of the park with this one,” she told Moraites. “That had to be really tough to come up with something, but it’s a really great idea for what you’re going through. I appreciate all you’ve done for that.”
