Guidance Counselor and Senior Class Sponsor Alex Johnson, High School Principal Ben Jones and Superintendent Phillip Picquet prepare the diplomas for this year’s senior. Saturday’s virtual graduation video, playing on the TV behind, will be streamed Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m. MT.
Seniors to experience virtual graduation ceremony Saturday
The class of 2020 will celebrate the end of their high school careers with a graduation ceremony, the likes of which has not been seen before.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional graduation ceremony has been postponed to August 1 and instead, a virtual graduation ceremony will be streamed this Saturday, May 9 at 1 p.m.
High School Principal Ben Jones and Senior Sponsor Alex Johnson collaborated with a former student of Jones’ to produce the 61-minute digital keepsake.
Jones said their goal was to keep it within 45 minutes. Even at an hour, plenty of items got left on the cutting room floor, he noted.
Jones said they wanted the video to mimic a real graduation ceremony as much as possible, and he feels they were able to accomplish it.
The video opens with the traditional “Pomp and Circumstance” music.
Senior class officers—Samuel McArtor, Evan Sestak, Matthew Wendell and Jacob Woodmancy—will deliver their messages, just like the regular ceremony would.
Each of the seniors will be pictured in their cap and gown as Jones announces the individual graduates.
Video and still photos recapping their high school careers will be a part of the ceremony as well.
Jones said they are posting the virtual ceremony on the school’s Striv account. Go to Striv.tv/channel/perkins-county .
The video will become viewable at 1 p.m. Saturday, the same time graduation was originally scheduled for.
The link will be available on Saturday via the Perkins County Schools Facebook page as well as on their website at www.perkinscountyschools.org
24 Graduates
The 24 PCS graduates chose red and black as their class colors, and roses as their flower.
The class has chosen the quote, “Now you are seeing 20/20,” which holds meaning to the class who will be celebrating under unprecedented circumstances.
Their class song is “Tattoos on This Town” by Jason Aldean.
The Class of 2020 includes:
Matthew Aerni, Deitrik Brueggeman, Kyler Bullock, Ethan Clermont, Isabella Fraizer, James Garner III, Trye Hickey, Caleb Lagler, Keshia Leeper, Joshua Malmkar, Samuel McArtor, Matthew McClung, Ignacio Perez, Alexander Poppe, Evan Sestak, Ian Sihm, Kaden Sinner, Kaden Smith, Carson Thelander, Makenzie Toner, Matthew Wendell, Jace Wid, Jacob Woodmancy and James Wright.