Traditional in-person graduation will now have to wait until at least July 1. This came from the governor's press conference today alongside Arkansas Education Secretary Johnny Key.
Key said he understands why people would want to find an alternative soon but he encourages everyone to wait until that mid-summer date.
Graduation is a time to celebrate the next chapter in life while also acknowledging past accomplishments.
It is fun to do it publicly with the friends you've grown up with. After having in-person school cancelled for the rest of the semester, in-person graduation will officially be put off until July.
“Every kid just wants to do is walk across that stage and get a diploma,” said Steven Stone, Senior at Greenwood High. The 2020 HIgh school seniors have already had to cancel meaningful events.
“Promise one of the big ones people have already got their taxes and dresses and spent all that money and stuff,” said Stone.
High schools across Arkansas have been preparing for a graduation but unsure of a set date. Today the Governor and Education Secretary Johnny Key announced that traditional in-person graduation will be prohibited before July 1st.
Key said this decision is made because the size of graduation ceremonies pose a risk during the coronavirus outbreak.
“In many communities, the high school graduation is one of the most attended and largest events in the community in the whole year,” said Key.
He says the situation would be difficult to manage with folks coming from all parts of the state to attend along with people from outside of Arkansas.
“We simply cannot mitigate sufficiently the risk of spread in a situation like that,” says Key.
Key says the opportunity for alternative graduations is available. He says his office will be reviewing proposals from schools across the state to determine if they are appropriate. Stone says an alternative graduation won't be as rewarding.
“No matter how long you been at the school just walking across shaking the teacher's hand and getting it it’s a really big accomplishment,” said Stone.
The Education Secretary says it will not be easy for schools and students to reschedule that late in the summer it is a decision that has to be done at the current time.