After Rocky View Schools made the decision to cancel graduation ceremonies this year, some local parents decided to take matters into their own hands.

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, traditional grad ceremonies around the world had to be scrapped and Airdrie was no exception. In response to RVS' decision to cancel ceremonies, a local petition was started asking them to consider postponing instead. However, with so much uncertainty around the situation, RVS gave schools the freedom to come up with their own unique ways to celebrate this year's graduates.

>The six formed a parent-planned graduation committee and put their heads together to come up with a way to celebrate the 2020 graduating class.

Lechelt says they were partly inspired by what St. Martin de Porres planned for its more than 100 graduating students. The school is part of the Calgary Catholic School District and in addition to a virtual ceremony, the school will also hold a drive-through graduation on June 18.

"I know St. Martin's graduating class is smaller, probably about half the size [of George McDougall], but their own school was willing to do a drive-up grad and it just frustrated me that our own school and RVS as a whole wasn't willing to do it," Lechelt says, adding she tried talking to school representatives, trustees, and the superintendent to try to get them to reconsider some kind of stage walk event.

"Most of the graduates I had spoke to had just said 'can we just postpone it', because after 13 years of school they just wanted the same thing that you look forward to all those years," says Lechelt.

So the six determined ladies put their heads together and came up with a plan to host a ceremony at the Airdrie Pro Rodeo grounds. On Sunday, June 21, 15 students at at time will be invited out to the grounds. They will stand on separated markers and will be called up one by one to walk a stage and get their photos taken. Some family members will be allowed to attend and physical distancing measures will be in place.

It's expected to take at least eight hours with the first group scheduled for 10 a.m. Lechelt says more than 100 of the 160 graduating students at George McDougall have signed up to participate. Since the event is entirely parent-planned, the committee held a bottle drive to raise funds and Lechelt says several local businesses have stepped up to either donate or discount services to help make the ceremony a success.

She says it's been a lot of work for the committee and she knows it won't be the same as a traditional graduation ceremony, but that she's happy to do something special for the grads and that the hard work has all been worth it.

The event will go ahead rain or shine, since the weather is unpredictable at the best of times in the province. "It's Alberta, we'll do what we have to," Lechelt says with a laugh.

Lechelt's team inspired parent groups from WH Croxford and Bert Church to plan similar events. Croxford will also use the Airdrie Pro Rodeo grounds on Sunday, June 14 and plans are in the works for a ceremony for Bert Church students in the field at the far west parking lot of Genesis Place on June 20.

The W.H. Croxford parent planning committee can be reached at covidgrad2020@gmail.com or WH Croxford Grad 2020 Parents Group

The Bert Church parent planning committee can be reached at 2020bchsgrad@gmail.com or Bert Church Parents Drive Through Grad Committee

The George McDougall parent planning committee can be reached at George McDougall Grad Planning

 

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