SUNDRE — Residents are invited to help celebrate this year’s graduating Class of 2020.
Plans for the Aug. 29 ceremonies include a parade that will start off from the Sundre Supportive Living Centre at about 5 p.m. before winding through residential areas on its way to the Sundre Rodeo Grounds.
“If we could have some folks willing to celebrate our kids and join in, that would be amazing,” said Jessica Dalke, the grad committee’s vice chair, praising Sundre’s tendency to enthusiastically support the school and the grad fundraising efforts.
“We’re hoping all the kids can have a chance to have everybody see them in all of their finery,” said Dalke.
As a result of the pandemic, plans to celebrate grad naturally had to be revamped, she said.
“We’re trying to make it as close to a traditional graduation as possible, while still factoring in all of the COVID requirements.”
Sundre High School Principal Scott Saunders said the modified cap and gown ceremony is planned to start around 9:30 a.m.
“We can have 100 people in the gym socially distanced which means all of the students can be in the gym for the ceremony and the families can watch online via a livestream,” said Saunders.
He said plans were developed adhering to Alberta Health Services guidelines, and will also include “safety precautions such as pre-screening, sanitizing hands, social distancing and mask wearing in order to keep everyone safe.”
Following a brief intermission, he said families will come into the school in small groups to see their graduates walk across the stage.
“We are trying to create the best grad experience we can, considering the circumstances and challenges involved.”
The ceremony should be wrapped up by about 1 p.m., after which this year’s 72 grads will have some time to prepare for the parade and prom.
Dalke said students are “welcome to ride in their vehicles, or with their friends, or on a float. We’ve had lots of support from the town for the parade. They’ve been fantastic to work with.”
Once at the rodeo grounds, ample space will accommodate physical distancing for a smaller number of family members and guests set at eight per grad, she said.
Gates are scheduled to open at 6 p.m., and a grand march through the rodeo grounds’ infield, during which student bios will be read, is going to follow a group photo. Families and guests will enter from the west and sit in the main grandstand, with grads entering from the east parking lot.
This year’s valedictorian is Tegan Warren, and after a series of speeches, Dalke said grads are going to have an opportunity to dance among their cohorts with their parents and escorts.
Once the ceremony concludes some time around 9 p.m., the celebration will finish with a bang when fireworks light up the sky.
“We’re excited to celebrate this year’s grads. They’ve been through a lot, and we hope their celebration is everything they hoped for,” said Dalke, a mother of two teens, one of whom is graduating.
“We’re lucky to live in Sundre, where we have such a strong community. It’s been great to raise kids in Sundre, and have them go through the Sundre school system.”
