Graduation ideas? (1 Viewer)

[prosopis]

The Covid thread moves so fast I wanted to put this here so I could follow better.

I am sure there are many people in the same boat as I and I was looking for ideas. 

My daughter's graduation ceremony was cancelled. She is not happy with this. I am very proud of her. She has worked very hard and is in the top 10 of her class. It is a big school so being top 10 is a big deal in my opinion. I want to do some kind of ceremony here at home. Any ideas? I am thinking a surprise deal? I could maybe decorate the living room at night so it is set up when she wakes up. Try to arrange the extended family for a zoom graduation ceremony?

Anyway just hoping for a few ideas.

 

[Tecumseh]

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[BobbyLayne]

The Covid thread moves so fast I wanted to put this here so I could follow better.

I am sure there are many people in the same boat as I and I was looking for ideas. 

My daughter's graduation ceremony was cancelled. She is not happy with this. I am very proud of her. She has worked very hard and is in the top 10 of her class. It is a big school so being top 10 is a big deal in my opinion. I want to do some kind of ceremony here at home. Any ideas? I am thinking a surprise deal? I could maybe decorate the living room at night so it is set up when she wakes up. Try to arrange the extended family for a zoom graduation ceremony?

Anyway just hoping for a few ideas.

My son graduates from college (Michigan Tech) next month but is currently doing online classes in suburban Detroit. He’s supposed to move to Seattle in early June to start his first job.

Everything is in flux.

 

[Cjw_55106]

The Covid thread moves so fast I wanted to put this here so I could follow better.

I am sure there are many people in the same boat as I and I was looking for ideas. 

My daughter's graduation ceremony was cancelled. She is not happy with this. I am very proud of her. She has worked very hard and is in the top 10 of her class. It is a big school so being top 10 is a big deal in my opinion. I want to do some kind of ceremony here at home. Any ideas? I am thinking a surprise deal? I could maybe decorate the living room at night so it is set up when she wakes up. Try to arrange the extended family for a zoom graduation ceremony?

Anyway just hoping for a few ideas.

Does she graduate in May/June? I would wait it out before jumping into anything. 

 

[Pipes]

Great thread I'm in the same boat with my youngest.  Though he's not really upset about no ceremony po'd about no lacrosse.  We're hoping to have a grad party at some point in August before he goes off to college.  Hoping to...not planning anything yet.

 

[wikkidpissah]

a mountaintop ceremony, perhaps, to celebrate the heights she's reached.  Kitt Peak, maybe?

 

[Clown Car]

I think a zoom graduation meeting with her family and closest friends would be nice. If she has a teacher she is particularly close to could speak about her and you and her mom could speak about her. It’s kind of how we do homeschool graduations. 

 

[prosopis]

Does she graduate in May/June? I would wait it out before jumping into anything. 

May 15

The letter we received was a little confusing but I do believe it has been cancelled along with all the other high school events this time of year.

 

[prosopis]

Keep the ideas coming and thanks.

She had to pick up her graduation gown yesterday. I forget what that cost but it was a rip off and that was when she was actually going to wear it. I feel like it is sitting on my dining room table laughing at me.

 

[Chemical X]

i don’t mean to come off as a @ick, but have you tried explaining to her that roughly 20,000 people have died and having her graduation postponed or delayed is pretty minor in comparison?  she’s gonna have plenty of time to recover.

this isn’t directed at you or her, but everytime i see a “my birthday party was cancelled” type item, i get crabby.

 

[Cjw_55106]

i don’t mean to come off as a @ick, but have you tried explaining to her that roughly 20,000 people have died and having her graduation postponed or delayed is pretty minor in comparison?  she’s gonna have plenty of time to recover.

this isn’t directed at you or her, but everytime i see a “my birthday party was cancelled” type item, i get crabby.

I have a suspicion that she doesn’t need that explained to her. You can 100% understand something and still say well this kind of sucks for me.

 

[Chemical X]

I have a suspicion that she doesn’t need that explained to her. You can 100% understand something and still say well this kind of sucks for me.

I suppose, but i see so many of these "my life is so inconvenienced" stories, that i am not so sure at times.  I think very little of Americans, even less of American youth.  There are exceptions, but i just always think of the ugly American.....

 

[skol asylum]

Tell her you received an email from the school and there's good news and bad news. The good news is she'll get a graduation ceremony! The bad is it will be next year because she has to repeat 12th grade.

 

[Pipes]

i don’t mean to come off as a @ick, but have you tried explaining to her that roughly 20,000 people have died and having her graduation postponed or delayed is pretty minor in comparison?  she’s gonna have plenty of time to recover.

this isn’t directed at you or her, but everytime i see a “my birthday party was cancelled” type item, i get crabby.

Most these kids understand the why doesn't me they can't be upset and vent about their own situation.  I think people complaining about missed parties is a bit different than high school graduation.  That's once in a lifetime for these kids.   This is supposed to be the best time of their lives yet they are stuck at home.  They have every right to be pissed even if it's not a big deal in the grand scheme of what's going on in the real world. 

 

[Cjw_55106]

I suppose, but i see so many of these "my life is so inconvenienced" stories, that i am not so sure at times.  I think very little of Americans, even less of American youth.  There are exceptions, but i just always think of the ugly American.....

As a father of three teenagers, I can tell you, kids have more empathy than most adults. 

 

[Ilov80s]

The Covid thread moves so fast I wanted to put this here so I could follow better.

I am sure there are many people in the same boat as I and I was looking for ideas. 

My daughter's graduation ceremony was cancelled. She is not happy with this. I am very proud of her. She has worked very hard and is in the top 10 of her class. It is a big school so being top 10 is a big deal in my opinion. I want to do some kind of ceremony here at home. Any ideas? I am thinking a surprise deal? I could maybe decorate the living room at night so it is set up when she wakes up. Try to arrange the extended family for a zoom graduation ceremony?

Anyway just hoping for a few ideas.

Give her a check for all the money you would have spent on the party and all that. I think they would appreciate it. Try to throw a virtual party with e-invitations and if people want, offer to pay to have food delivered for them. Also post her Venmo so people can give her graduation gifts. Maybe sneak her a 6 pack of beer and pretend it wasn’t from you so she gets that experience. 

 

[prosopis]

i don’t mean to come off as a @ick, but have you tried explaining to her that roughly 20,000 people have died and having her graduation postponed or delayed is pretty minor in comparison?  she’s gonna have plenty of time to recover.

this isn’t directed at you or her, but everytime i see a “my birthday party was cancelled” type item, i get crabby.

Yes she is aware of what is up and what is important.

This is something I struggle with. I feel guilty worrying about not working, cancelling subscriptions, my daughters graduation ceremony, dogs rattlesnake avoidance classes. Then I realize people are dying. That guilt turns into depression and anxiety.

 

[prosopis]

I suppose, but i see so many of these "my life is so inconvenienced" stories, that i am not so sure at times.  I think very little of Americans, even less of American youth.  There are exceptions, but i just always think of the ugly American.....

My daughter would be the exception, me not so much.

 

[Anarchy99]

Ultimately, what is your HS doing for graduation? Our just done with college son did his graduation on-line with all the kids at home and a handful of people at a podium in a stadium with 100,000 empty seats. Not very festive at all.

Our high school senior is supposed to graduate soon and our town still doesn't really have much of a realistic plan. Here's how some other area towns are handling graduation:

- One HS is going to have 30 different ceremonies in their football stadium with small groups of kids (and attendees spaced out and everyone in masks).
- A school is planning to have their graduation at a drive-in with everyone needing masks and staying in cars, with the kids driving up to the front to get their diplomas.
- One place near a ski resort is going to allow kids and immediate family to take a ski lift to the top of the mountain, confer diplomas, take pictures, and then return to the base of the mountain.
- Another place is going to have kids broken up into small groups and sent to classrooms within the HS, then sending each classroom of kids to a stage with the whole thing broadcast on a local cable channel.
- A different school is trying to book a big arena and space everyone out to confirm to social distancing requirements and is waiting for approval from the governor.
- One other place concocted a way to have the entire graduating class and family members together outside all in masks and spaced out through acceptable social distancing requirements, but that one also has to be approved. They claim they have measured all their field space and insist that no one would ever get closer than 6 feet from anyone.

In our town, parents are getting restless and some families are getting really hot and bothered. One family has said that we should ditch the official school graduation and hold our own private graduation ceremony. The same family said they are having a giant graduation party regardless without any masks or social distancing . . . and they posted all this on the school's FB page (including that they will be hugging and kissing people). The "official" town plan is to ride things out and hopefully have a "normal" graduation at some point over the summer (just with limitations on how many people can attend from each family).

What is your town's / school's graduation plan?

 

[The Flying Turtle]

- A different school is trying to book a big arena and space everyone out to confirm to social distancing requirements and is waiting for approval from the governor.
 

Our county just announced yesterday that they are going with this plan. 16 high schools over 8 days. Ceremonies starting at 9:00am and 5:00pm each day. Limit 2 guests and all seats will be assigned randomly. 

 

[Ilov80s]

Our district is doing a car parade through town. Kids will decorate their cars, drive around, get applause through neighborhoods and by the various schools with staff their cheering them on. There is also a video that is being released with the speeches from staff, board and honors students plus a slideshow of names and images. 

 

[tri-man 47]

FWIW, a HS graduation gift we've typically given is a gift card for the bookstore used by their intended college.  It usually works to contact the bookstore, and they'll process the payment (if not done online) and send out the gift card.  It's something fun for the student as it reinforces their college connection.

 

[prosopis]

FWIW, a HS graduation gift we've typically given is a gift card for the bookstore used by their intended college.  It usually works to contact the bookstore, and they'll process the payment (if not done online) and send out the gift card.  It's something fun for the student as it reinforces their college connection.

Great idea

 

[prosopis]

My daughters highschool is having kids and parents show up at appointed time. They hand her a diploma, snap a picture, and away you go.

I am not impressed with this. I see many schools across the country doing better. We are pretty rural out here and economics may have something to do with how highschools are handling this. Not happy that I still had to pay for a sash she was going to wear for the honors society. I guess everyone has to make a living but how they keep a straight face as they take money for a sash that will never be worn at a ceremony that is not happening boggles my mind. I don't think I could do it. I wanted to make a fuss but didn't want to be that guy in these times.

 

[Galileo]

Our school is sort of piecing things together.  Seniors will drive up in car with family...two different spots to expedite the process a little.  Senior gets out to get diploma/take pic.  The local cable channel will be filming these drive up moments.  Graduation speeches, a couple special awards, choir performance, etc will be filmed separately.  All of this will be edited together by the local cable folks and then the entire program will be presented at a drive in where families can come in there cars and see the whole production.   I am sure the local cable channel will broadcast it several times as well, they usually do for the normal ceremony.

 

[Galileo]

My daughters highschool is having kids and parents show up at appointed time. They hand her a diploma, snap a picture, and away you go.

I am not impressed with this. I see many schools across the country doing better. We are pretty rural out here and economics may have something to do with how highschools are handling this. Not happy that I still had to pay for a sash she was going to wear for the honors society. I guess everyone has to make a living but how they keep a straight face as they take money for a sash that will never be worn at a ceremony that is not happening boggles my mind. I don't think I could do it. I wanted to make a fuss but didn't want to be that guy in these times.

Not that it will make you feel any better, but why can't she wear the sash when she gets her diploma and picture?  Someone will surely create a slide show presentation out of all the pics and share it I would imagine.  At the very least, I suppose she has a nice keepsake.

 

[eoMMan]

Bloomin' onions all around.  Nothing says "good job" more than a steak from the babie and a bloomin' onion.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

My daughter graduates from HS tomorrow.  They're doing a "drive through" graduation where everyone parks in the school parking lot, and they call names like they would have done normally (FM broadcast).  Cars are going to drive up to the stage, the student hops out and gets their diploma, and they snap a quick mask-less picture.  It's going to take forever (probably 2 hours) but it seems reasonable enough.  I can just read a book through most of it.

 

[belljr]

My daughter is a freshman so not for her but the school has sent out a few options they are exploring.  It's really depends on the governor and county.  And being NJ it's a little sketchy....

But they are exploring car options and split graduations.  It's usually outdoors on the football field so who knows.

The problem is it's 500 kids graduating

 

[Anarchy99]

Well our HS announced their graduation plan, which seems pretty bold. They decided every kid graduating in town history has been awarded a diploma in person at the school with their family members present. And they ain’t changing that. 

So we are having graduation on the day it was originally set for. Everyone has to wear masks. Kids will be broken up into groups of 10 on one side of a field.  Families of those kids will be grouped together on the opposite side of the field. They will call the groups to a podium and confer diplomas then move on to the next group. Once each group is done, everyone in that group must leave immediately and drive away. There are going to end up having close to 2,000 people there. Wish us luck.