COVID-era high school grads get diplomas in front of cameras, instead of parents
The Grade 12 graduating class at Handsworth Secondary school in North Vancouver has spent its entire year under COVID-19 protocols.
That meant no big graduation banquet and dance, and no convocation at the Orpheum theatre in downtown Vancouver. But the district still wanted to make the diploma ceremony at its Lonsdale street offices special.
“What we are doing over the course of two days for our 270 graduates is bringing them in in groups of 20 to cross the stage. That will be presented in a video to all families and graduates on June 30th,” said principal Rupi Samra-Gynane.
“They’re going to come, it will be red carpet, they will see it’s a high production and quality event. And that moment when they have the stage to themselves, they will feel it,” said North Vancouver superintendent Mark Pearmain.
Parents, who waited outside with flowers and cameras, were disappointed they couldn’t witness the big moment in person.
“It is what it is, it was a hard year for all the of the kids, I think. They didn’t get all their grad activities, none of those,” said Rita Macdonald, whose daughter Ainsley is graduating.
“They have missed out on a lot of milestones that traditionally everyone goes through, so it’s pretty different,” said Julia Kauwenhoben, the mother of another student named Nolan.
While it was not the graduation they were hoping for, students seemed to take it in stride.
“There was obviously a lot of effort put in, and that’s nice to see and it’s nice to see everyone,” said student Talia Lal.
“It was good for the circumstances we are in right now, so it’s really nice,” said her friend Madeleine Lister.
Ben Macdonald’s family dressed up in wigs and viking hats and sprayed him with water guns and rang cowbells as he left the ceremony.
“Clearly I have the craziest family out of everyone here,” he said. “Not much of a surprise, I knew something was happening, but I didn’t think it was this.”
“Think about it, for a year nobody’s been able to dress up, be a little crazy. So we were like, why be average? Be ridiculous, right?” said his mom Helen Brown.
As for his solo walk across the stage, in front of cameras instead of his parents? “I think they did the best that they could. It went pretty well, smoothly in there,” Macdonald said.
At Handsworth, this year’s theme was gratitude and resilience, something the principal says the grade 12 students have embodied during difficult times.
“This graduating class has managed to get through the year with a tremendous amount of resilience, and do it with grace,” said Samra-Gynane.
“They are an amazing group, the grads of 2021,” said Pearmain. “They have been forced to become adaptable and resilient and re-imagine what their Grade 12 year is like. A lot of them have had siblings and they watched their siblings go through. So suddenly, this is pretty different for them. But they have also just embraced it.”
As they embark on the next chapter of their lives, the students hope that resilience serves them well.
“We have had to go through a lot, and it will make us work harder for what we want in our futures for sure,” Lister said
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Police investigating shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
3 Indian nationals accused of murdering Hardeep Singh Nijjar facing court in B.C.
Three Indian nationals accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar are due to face court Tuesday over the killing that triggered a major diplomatic rift with India.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.