By Arriyon Byers and Sophie Bright
Podcast Editor and Editorial Page Editor

The end of the year is finally approaching which is extremely exciting, but it also entails saying goodbye to our seniors. It really has been a hectic year with online school and hybrid schedules so, like other events this year, this final farewell to our seniors will not look the same as it has in years passed. COVID-19 pandemic and the guidelines that follow have altered every school event that has taken place this past year and graduation is no exception. Luckily, this year there will be an in-person graduation, unlike last year’s ceremony. Mr. Robinson, Millikan High School’s activities director, sent out an email via Outlook which gave some information about the upcoming ceremony on June 15th.

What we do know about graduation so far is that there will be security checks at all stadium entry points, only permitting standard clear bags/backpacks, and no extra tickets (only six tickets per graduate) will be issued due to COVID-19 protocols and stadium capacity. Additionally, there will be a parking fee that charges $10 per vehicle, and lastly, Millikan graduates will be receiving their actual diploma on two later reserved dates (based off of last names) at Millikan High School and cannot come dressed in cap and gown attire, you must appear in the formal attire you’ll wear underneath. 

This year’s ceremony isn’t ideal, but seniors are very lucky that they got a ceremony at all. The 2019/2020 class of last year barely got a ceremony because COVID-19 was still very new and not many people knew how to safely manage guidelines.

Even after the email from Robinson and other information that was given out, many students and parents still had questions about the ceremony.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MILLIKAN PARENT, SHAMEIKA CAMPBELL

Photograph of Veterans Memorial Stadium located South of the Liberal Arts Campus of Long Beach City College. The Long Beach Unified School District confirmed that in-person high school graduations will be hosted this year at this location.

“I’m very excited to have an in-person graduation with an actual audience. I’ll be able to see my full senior class in person for one last time, even the ones I haven’t seen in over a year,” says QUEST senior Emma Schmidt. “I’m just wondering how they will space everyone out on the field and the people in the stands? I’m also wondering how they will try to get people to not crowd right outside the stadium before the ceremony and after?” 

In response to these queries, Robinson states, “Health screenings and masks are mandatory. The seating on the field will look different due to social distancing protocols and regulations. Less tickets were given out to all graduates compared to previous years due to stadium capacity and COVID-19 guidelines.” 

In the aforementioned email pertaining to graduation, Mr. Robinson sent out another mass email regarding senior graduation and distribution, which allayed any additional anxieties for many parents and students. In this email seniors were informed that, “Students are not allowed to decorate their caps”. Further explaining that this lack of decoration has been a standing tradition at Millikan since 1956.

There are still unanswered questions about the upcoming graduation ceremony but it is starting to set in that the seniors will be leaving us. This is only the beginning for the class of 2021, so let’s make this final send-off be one of the best!