Los Alamos High School Senior class president Maddie Ovaska dons her cap and gown in anticipation of receiving her diploma this week. Photo Courtesy LAPS
LAHS NEWS
Los Alamos High School will host private graduation ceremonies for every member of the Class of 2020 next week over three days, starting on Wednesday. Each graduating senior and their immediate family members will have a pre-arranged time for presentation of their diploma.
“With 270+ grads each having a 5-minute window, we’ll have 1350 minutes of presenting diplomas,” said Principal Carter Payne. Orchestrating this event is key, and we will need everyone to arrive at just the right time. Seniors and their family are asked to arrive 10 to 15 minutes before their appointment time.
Seniors and their immediate family are invited to attend, and all will be required to wear masks. Once they arrive on campus, they will stay in their vehicle and follow the same route through campus that was used earlier when students picked up their cap and gown. At their appointed time, they will drive up to the stage, step out of their vehicle, put on their cap and gown, and prepare to receive their diploma. “Our guidance from the state was clear that we can only have 5 people in one place,” Payne explained. “The four school personnel present, plus the graduate, take us to the limit of 5 for gatherings, so family members will be staged on the opposite side of the podium to allow all to have space for distancing. “
Just as in a classical Graduation ceremony, the student’s name will be called, they will be presented their diploma and they’ll move their tassel from right to left. The ceremony will end with the traditional tossing of their cap to the cheers of your family and school staff.
Family members are encouraged to take photos during the ceremony, but are encouraged to make plans for the perfect photo shoot at an off-campus location before or after the ceremony. There will be a professional photographer to photograph each student as they receive their diploma. PAC 8 will also be on hand to video each graduate. Each graduate will be included in the graduation video along with all members of the Class of 2020. This video will also include the student speaker and teacher speaker selected by the senior class. The graduation video will be shared online on June 8.
The LAHS Yearbook staff created a senior video honoring each member of the Class of 2020. To see the senior video, go to Class 2020.mp4
The community is invited to celebrate the Class of 2020 at the Parade of Grads “Lap of Diamond” on Saturday, May 30 at 10 a.m. Family members and members of the community are invited to line the shoulders on both sides of Diamond Drive from the high school to the roundabout to cheer for the Class of 2020 from the safety of their vehicles. Graduates will wear their caps and gowns and be chauffeured by a household member in their decorated vehicles.