NIPAWIN — L.P. Miller staff are busy getting ready to send their 78 graduates out into the world as they prepare their virtual graduation ceremony.
A video presentation will be made available on June 29 at 3 p.m., which would have been the school’s regularly scheduled graduation day, said principal Cory Froehlich.
The video will be made available on the school’s YouTube channel for the graduates to enjoy with their families however they choose.
“We’re just trying to recreate that day and then hopefully [the graduates] choose to do something. They are able to celebrate on their own with their family and their loved ones at that time and in the numbers that are acceptable by the Ministry of Health,” Froehlich said.
The presentation will feature the same elements that would have been incorporated into a typical graduation ceremony, with graduation and baby pictures for all the grads, speeches from honoured guests, including the graduates’ salutatorian and valedictorian speeches, and scholarship presentations.
Given the situation the school is in, Froehlich said they are trying to personalize some elements of ceremony to each graduate. For instance, during the photo presentation they are trying to get a graduate’s favourite songs to play during their photos to add that personal touch.
“That's something we wouldn't typically do in a normal grad so we are trying to make it a little bit new for them as well.”
Some graduates will also be celebrated with yard signs at their homes, Froehlich said, and they are welcome to do so. However, the school did not want to make that a requirement since many graduates are on farms outside of town.
“If they want to invest in that anybody who wants to is welcome to set that up. And obviously they can take their pictures wherever they want as well.”
With the celebration taking place in June, there will be nothing planned for when school is brought back into session. However, Froehlich said that any students who want to come back and get pictures taken or to speak with teachers are always welcome to do so.
The virtual graduation is being planned by the staff graduation committee with obvious assistance from graduates and their parents.
