Faculty and seniors at Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South high schools are planning how their graduation ceremonies will proceed on the dates scheduled via technology.
Prerecorded videos with a photo of every student will be shown as a teacher or member of the staff reads their name, the principals said.
“We will premier it via livestream at 7 p.m. the night of each of our ceremonies and release it to the public the day after,” Hinsdale South Principal Arwen Pokorny Lyp said in an email.
“Our goal is for it to feel as close to the real ceremony as possible the night of the event. We want students to wear their caps and gowns and share pictures on social media (and) Twitter of themselves in full regalia and also of them tossing their hats at the end,” Lyp said.
Hinsdale South seniors will graduate May 20 and Central seniors on May 21.
“May 21 is a moment in our students lives that should not just pass by as another day,” Hinsdale Central Principal William Walsh said in an email. “It is a monumental day to celebrate with family and friends, at home, the achievements, honors and commitment to academics, athletics and service our students have worked so hard to realize.”
“The virtual graduation will be full of pomp and circumstance,” Walsh said.
School officials want to distribute a hard copy of the graduation program, caps and gowns and the yearbooks in advance with a drive-up pickup system at the schools. The details are still being worked out, Walsh said.
Teachers and students will participate in the online ceremony as they would if it were held at the school stadium with the bleachers filled with relatives and friends.
The honors orators, principals and other speakers will record their speeches in advance to be played when the ceremony is livestreamed on graduation day, Pokorny Lyp said.
Central’s commencement will be hosted by Senior Class President Nick Moawad and Student Council President Lauren Hughes.
South will name its student speakers next week.
Seniors chose the teachers by vote who will read the names of the Class of 2020, as their photo is shown, in lieu of their being handed their diploma.
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Seniors hope to get together in person later in the summer once the coronavirus restrictions are lifted. The schools will solicit input from the graduates on what that celebration should be.