Our graduates!

Who would have ever imagined that when schools closed in March due to Covid 19 they would remain closed through the end of the school year. Everything including seminary switched over to virtual learning which in itself was not a fun way to end the year. And while the kids plowed through it, it was clear they weren't getting nearly as much out of it as they would have had they been in school. For the boys it was especially sad because all of the activities that make a senior year such a fun year were unraveling and while initially plans were made to just postpone most of the activities, it became clearer each day that these events would never be rescheduled. The boys would tell you they were most disappointed about missing prom and I'd tell you for selfish reasons I was most disappointed about having no formal graduation ceremony! While the school, community, friends and family were all doing their best to celebrate the boys, we couldn't help but feel sad for the way their high school chapter had ended. It was definitely not the way any high school senior should see their year unfold. But at a time when we were constantly being reminded of the lives that were being lost from the virus, it was a small sacrifice for us all to make. Here's how the last month of school unfolded for the boys...

Krispy Creme came to the rescue offering a free dozen donuts to each graduate who showed up in person wearing their graduation cap or gown. The boys were definitely all over that! And it was no surprise that Ty picked frosted and Connor picked glazed...



Friends and family sent all sorts of creative gifts and money including this totally appropriate t-shirt that I captured Ty in, care of some sweet friends in Ohio!



The high school planned a special Victor E. Lap drive by for the class of 2020. Parents were encouraged to surprise their students by ordering banners to hang around the school parking lot so that on that day they'd be greeted by all their classmates banners along with their teachers and staff sending them off with one final goodbye. Clearly the weather did not cooperate...lol but I was happy with how our banner turned out!





So in place of a real graduation, a virtual one was arranged. Our district decided to have each family submit several 5-7 second video clips of their seniors performing certain acts, including clapping, laughing, and smiling. Trying to get a clip of the boys laughing was hysterical. So funny that you could hear me laughing in the clip more than them. Nothing like having to be recorded doing some fake laugh. We definitely laughed more after as we watched the clips than they did in the clips. A company was hired to compile all the clips and put together a virtual graduation. While it felt a bit cheezy, the boys actually were happy they didn't have to sit in some stadium watching almost 1,000 of their classmates cross a stage. This way was definitely much more efficient... Some of their friends showed up to watch the virtual graduation with them which was really sweet. Lots of cheering!






In a last ditch effort to provide some sort of backdrop for a formal graduation photo, the school put together a day for drop in photos. So here are our official graduation photos! And of course on the way out we had to take one final photo alongside the boys' parking spot that Ty had done such a good job designing and painting. It's hard to believe this chapter is ending.




Desperate times call for desperate measures... It may not be the most professional looking grad announcement out there but it worked. Thanks to the boys for being such troopers as i rushed to throw something together.




Sage also missed out on some fun end of year activities honoring the graduating 8th graders. Like the boys her school did what they could to recognize their 8th grade graduates by putting together a final lap around the parking lot as a way for the kids to say good bye to their teachers and staff.




And how thrilled I was to watch the virtual 8th grade ceremony and see all the recognition awards Sage had earned including straight A's all three years and vocal female musician of the year! We are so proud of her and all of her hard work!