Springfield kicks off ‘7-day graduation marathon’ amid coronavirus pandemic

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

Springfield High School seniors will be taking their walk across the stage to accept their diplomas during individual graduation ceremonies.

The Springfield City School District is holding individual graduations for over 470 seniors over a seven-day period.

Springfield started the “7-day graduation marathon” on Thursday, and they will continue Friday and into next week.

One parent said the individual ceremony for her son “was awesome.”

“It was better than what I thought,” said Crystal Cardosi, mother of graduate Ryan Barclay. “I loved it. How they had this set up and had them stand up there and take the pictures, just the whole set up.”

RELATED: Springfield announces graduation details, senior celebration

Cardosi said she didn’t really mind having a traditional graduation ceremony for Ryan.

“We are the main ones that’s important to him, so as long as we are here, that’s what matters,” she said. “It’s Ryan’s big day, so as long as mom and dad’s a part of that, that means a lot to him as well as us too.”

Graduating seniors have a scheduled time to report to the high school gym, and can bring up to four adults, said Superintendent Bob Hill.

Hill said guests must remain in their cars until they are notified to enter the building and will be given a phone number to alert personnel they have arrived.

Delvin Bishop celebrates outside Springfield High School Thursday after receiving his diploma in an individual ceremony in the school’s gymnasium. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

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PHOTOS: Springfield’s Individual Graduations

Other social distancing guidelines will also be followed, including checking the temperature of each person who enters the building, requiring everyone to wear masks must be worn and requiring appropriate distancing between families.

Each senior is having their photo taken in their cap and gown by a professional photographer, and a video is being recorded of them walking across the stage to get their diploma.

Mechanicsburg seniors stroll across stage in “single family” graduation ceremonies

“Those individual videos will be edited together into a full graduation ceremony,” Hill said.

Hill said the video will be aired on a mixture of Facebook, YouTube and Spectrum channel 5 at 10 a.m. on May 30.

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