‘It was nice to sit back and watch it all happen,’ says Superior Heights student of grad ceremonies

Like schools all over the world, those within the Algoma District School Board (ADSB) stepped up to make 2020 graduation as happy as possible in today’s grim COVID-19 world. 

“It was done in creative ways,” said Marcy Bell, ADSB superintendent of education, describing recent 2020 graduation activities for the board’s Grade 8 and Grade 12 students. 

There were 739 Grade 8 graduates and 712 Grade 12 graduates throughout the Sault and Algoma region, Bell said, speaking at Monday evening’s virtual board meeting.

Grads this year were forbidden from getting together for their long-awaited graduation ceremonies due to the provincial government-imposed COVID-19 clampdown on the number of people allowed at social gatherings.

To compensate, the board organized a program in which vehicles were specially decorated, many of them with a particular grad’s name clearly visible upon them, honking their horns in a parade of vehicles as they drove by the homes of those grads.

The grads stood on the doorsteps of their homes with their families as the parade drove by (notified beforehand when the vehicles would be driving by), presented with gifts, smiling through the disappointment over not being able to attend a traditional grad ceremony.

“It did sound different. It sounded like honking horns versus applause from an audience, but it definitely had celebration tied in,” Bell said.

Photos were taken of grads with gift bags outside their homes.

A variety of virtual celebrations were also held by each school, Bell said.

Such celebrations included congratulatory messages from school principals, Bell stating many families were clearly enjoying the virtual celebrations from the comfort of their own homes.

Guest speakers were included in the virtual ceremonies as well, including Brad Jacobs, the Sault's own Olympic gold medallist curling hero.

“It didn’t feel the same (but) I think it definitely did make an impact. We wish we could have celebrated in person but our team did everything they could, to make sure that each graduate felt honoured and recognized in this graduation of 2020,” Bell said.

“It was very nice to still have that time to see yourself up on the screen and see all your friends. I think it was also nice not to have any of the extra stress that grad day usually brings, rushing around everywhere, making sure you’re in the right place at the right time. It was nice to sit back and watch it all happen,” said Leah Moggy, a Superior Heights Grade 12 grad, one of the three 2019-2020 ADSB student trustees who attended Monday’s virtual board meeting.

“2020 being what it is, having things that are just out of our control, I think it was a really good compromise, that we were still able to have those personal interactions with some of the teachers we’ve had in the past four years instead of not having a celebration,” said grad Marek McLeod of Superior Heights. 

“Although it was really different, it was still nice...you could have your own celebration with your family, when a teacher came to your house that day if you won any awards,” said Korah grad Isabella DiBerardino.