A drive-in graduation ceremony, and a virtual one, is planned for this KY high school

Model Laboratory School at Eastern Kentucky University is planning a hybrid high school graduation ceremony next month with both a drive-in graduation for Model’s Class of 2020 and a virtual graduation.

“By doing both, we believe it will bring a sense of finality, where students can see others—even at a distance —and will allow family members who are staying healthy at home to witness this celebration,” said spokeswoman Kristi Middleton. “We think this approach will be unique and appropriate considering our circumstances.”

Gov. Andy Beshear raised the possibility of drive-in and virtual graduation ceremonies for Kentucky schools when he announced Monday that in-person classes, which ended mid-March in most districts, would be canceled for the remainder of the academic year to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

In-person graduation ceremonies requiring large gatherings won’t be possible this spring, he said.

The high school in Richmond’s current senior class has 45 students.

The graduation will include both a “virtual” video commencement complete with all graduates walking across the stage and a special “drive-in” graduation ceremony

At 7:30 p.m. Thursday May 21, Model will hold a drive-in graduation ceremony in the EKU Alumni Coliseum parking lot that officials say will follow Beshear’s parameters for social distancing.

During the ceremony, seniors will either be driven in a car or will drive themselves, and wave to the crowd as their name is announced. Their families will sit in other cars and watch them, John Williamson, the school’s superintendent, said.

Among spectators, only one family will occupy one car.

All individuals will have to stay in the car at all times.

All cars will maintain more than a six-foot distance on all sides from other cars.

No one can give or pass anything from their car to another car.

In preparation for the graduation, students will be assigned a time to go alone to the EKU Center for the Arts the week prior in their cap and gown to be filmed walking across the stage.

A video of all the students walking across the stage will be aired online on May 21 as part of the virtual commencement ceremony.

With only 45 seniors, Williamson said, “we can do this in a safe and healthy way.”

The challenges would be greater with larger senior classes, he said.

“Every superintendent, every school district and every community is going to have to evaluate what they are able to do,” said Williamson. He said he didn’t think a drive-in graduation ceremony would be possible in every case.

In Lexington, a formal announcement about Fayette high school graduations is forthcoming, said district spokeswoman Lisa Deffendall.

Fayette County school and district leaders are exploring possible ways, in consultation with senior class leaders, to safely celebrate the end of the school year “and the accomplishments of our amazing young people,” she said.

Deffendall described Fayette County Public Schools as one of the largest and most complex districts in the state, with six comprehensive high schools and 10 special programs.

She said the celebrations would be befitting of the accomplishments of the students in the Class of 2020– “outstanding individuals who have earned numerous state and national honors.”

Beshear in his daily news conference Wednesday was asked why Kentucky schools were not able to schedule in-person graduation ceremonies in late June as some schools in West Virginia have.

Beshear said under guidance from the White House, Kentucky schools would not be able to have in-person graduations in late June.

“My job is not to do the popular thing, it’s to do the right thing,” said Beshear. “Here in Kentucky the right thing is making sure we don’t have gatherings of that size and I know that’s hard.”

He told the Class of 2020 that the sacrifices they were making were saving lives of those around them.

The Williamstown Independent school district in Grant County is planning a virtual ceremony, and is reserving July 31 for an in-person ceremony in case restrictions are lifted, Superintendent Misty Middleton said Wednesday in a letter to families.

“For the Class of 2020, I am so sorry this is how it ends,” said Middleton.

This story was originally published April 23, 2020 at 12:24 PM.