Graduation Celebration 2020 by Bangor Daily News

BDN Graduation Celebration • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • June 5, 2020

In Their Own Words

Maine seniors trying to find closure as they graduate in the middle of a pandemic taken away. It’s very sad to me to see the days go by that should have been big events in my senior year.”

BY SARAH COTTRELL

How do you graduate high school when the schools are all shut down in the middle of a pandemic? This is the question many school officials and parents are asking themselves and the answers are not always easy. Sure, there are fun car parades and #porchproject2020 photos of grads dressed up in front of their homes, but none of the traditional graduation celebrations. Quarantine has meant that kids homeschooled their way to that degree and now must find their own ways to celebrate while simultaneously practicing social distancing. It’s easy to wax sentimental and make assumptions about how students must be feeling and certainly the media is full of adult talking heads chiming in. But we wanted to hear directly from the kids experiencing the loss of traditional senior year ceremonies so we reached out to a few seniors around the state of Maine to find out what they really had to say. Grab some tissues. This will definitely pull on your heart.

There was no closure

Coping with quarantine

Many seniors had expected to be spending their 2020 spring with a full calendar of lifetime milestone events from proms to graduation ceremonies to college campus tours. Since all of that is now cancelled many are seeking ways to cope with this strange new world. With texting and Zoom meet-ups, sleeping in and finding solitary hobbies, seniors around the state have some crafty ideas for how to stay cool and collected while their plans fall apart all round them. “I started the ‘Maranacook Walking Club,’ a Facebook group to promote getting outside and active in my community,” said Dana Reynolds, a senior from Maranacook High School in Readfield. “I believe that we need to get outside and exercise not only for our physical health but also for our mental health. My friends meet me to go for runs and hikes. We also meet in the school parking lot, blast some

attend University of Maine in the fall to study music education and exercise science. I am excited and hopeful for my future, for now [UMaine] will open. If it doesn’t I will keep working and roll with the punches,” Reynolds explains. “If this experience has taught me one thing is that I have to let go of what I can’t change.”

How they plan to plan a celebration during a pandemic

While these remarkable seniors adjust to the wild changes around them they are all seeking ways to mark their graduations as special events – with or without the pomp and ceremony that they most certainly deserve. “When things get back to normalcy my parents plan on throwing me a graduation party, and to get a photographer to take photos of me in my prom dress, and cap and gown,” says Kelly Nadeau from Mattanawcook Academy in Lincoln. Grayson Koelbl is celebrating in a unique way too. “I’m celebrating by getting FTM top surgery in June! I’m beyond excited and cannot wait to feel more confident, comfortable, and happy.” Emily Garib tells the BDN that she isn’t sure what celebrating graduation will look like just yet. “My school is not sure yet what we are going to do as a graduation. They have talked about a drive through and they have talked about doing it on the turf. I’m hoping we can have something as similar to a normal graduation as possible.” “Our graduation for now, is still up in the air,” Kaitlynn Raye said. “It’s been confirmed that this will not be a traditional graduation, but I know our community and families will work hard to give us an event that makes us feel celebrated. I know myself, and all the other seniors, are grateful for the support our school and families have already given us.” Dana Reynolds explains the bittersweet way her school is working around graduating during pandemic. “We have also decided that we are going to graduate in groups of eight; each group will have a designated time to come to school and receive their diplomas,” she says. “Each student may take four family members with them, and each mini ceremony will be recorded and compiled into a video. In order for me to move on to my next chapter I have decided that I need to say goodbye and thank you to my teachers and classmates, so I have been writing them letters.”

Every day I hope that there is somehow some sort of graduation ceremony. I have noticed that there are lots of people that don’t understand why this is such a big deal for us seniors. Everyone [during] their senior year looks forward to graduation. The final goodbye. And since they got to experience it, they don’t know what it would be like to get it taken away. It’s very sad to me to see the days go by that should have been big events in my senior year.” - Emily Garib

On a Friday afternoon, kids across the state began to board school busses or wait for their parents to pick them up and take them home. It was an average day with class assignments and exams on the minds of most students. But then over the weekend, school districts made the gut-wrenching call to shut down schools across Maine. “There’s no sense of finality. We left school on a Friday prepared to come back the next Monday. Leaving that Friday, I was concerned with beating the afternoon traffic rush, not saying goodbye to the friends that I had spent the last four years learning and growing with. I didn’t get to say goodbye to the teachers who spent the last four years teaching and supporting me. I don’t remember walking down the halls and out of the school for the last time,” said Kaitlynn Raye from Hampden Academy. “We didn’t even get a day, let alone the three months we had left, to come to terms with the fact that we were leaving. We don’t get to walk through our gym as a sea of purple caps and gowns and say goodbye, to not just high school, but life as we have known it since our first day of kindergarten.” Emily Garib, a senior at Hampden Academy, pointed out that those who aren’t experiencing graduation during a pandemic simply can’t fathom what it feels like. “All us students used to complain about coming to school every day, but now that it’s gone, we all miss it,” Garib explains. “Every day I hope that there is somehow some sort of graduation ceremony. I have noticed that there are lots of people that don’t understand why this is such a big deal for us seniors. Everyone [during] their senior year looks forward to graduation. The final goodbye. And since they got to experience it, they don’t know what it would be like to get it

tunes and sit on the roof of our cars to soak up the sunshine.” “I use a voice chat called Discord to play Dungeons and Dragons with my friends,” says Brewer High School senior Calvin Curtis. “I play video games with friends. We’ve also hung out by the firepit (6 feet apart, of course) on good nights.”

Plans for fall

But many won’t be deterred, for these high school seniors a quarantine will be a dent in their plans but these tough kids won’t let it get them down. Hampden Academy senior Grayson Koelbl from Winterport says that his plans for the fall are still moving forward, albeit with a bit of a hiccup. “The stay-at-home orders haven’t affected my plans for the fall, thankfully. I’m planning on going to UMF for a major in performing arts and hopefully a minor in social work. The orders have, however, affected my plans for the summer. I would have been returning to a Broadway training intensive in New York City, but my family and I decided that it wouldn’t be wise to go this year.” Dana Reynolds says that the quarantine has taught her to roll with the punches, and she’s using that perspective to adapt her plans to whatever happens next. “I am planning to

In whatever way that these bright young students choose to finish their high school experience, it will certainly be a remarkably memorable experience. Congratulations to the class of 2020, may your futures be bright, happy, and prosperous.

BDN Graduation Celebration • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • June 5, 2020

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BDN Graduation Celebration • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • June 5, 2020

Alexa Liberatore

REEDS BROOK MIDDLE SCHOOL

Congratulations to our favorite huntress. We are so proud of the person you’ve become! We love you so much! Love, Mom and Dad

Anthony P. Moffatt

MOHAWK HIGH SCHOOL SHELBURNE FALLS, MASS.

So proud of you. Congratulations! Love you always, Mumum & Tata

Hannah E. Sibley

Alyssa Day

CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

Congrats "Joe". We're so proud of you and know you will do great things if you just believe "YOU" can. Love, A. Peg and U. Charlie

We're so proud of you! We can't wait to see the amazing things your future holds. Love, Aunt Tracy, Uncle Robert, Devin & Emily

Best of luck in all your endeavors. I know you will do great. Best of luck and all my love, Bampie

Bella Moore

Benjamin Neal Hartt

REEDS BROOK MIDDLE SCHOOL

You did it! We are so proud of you. Good luck in high school next year! Love, Grammie & Grampy

We are extremely proud of you! We're excited for you and your future adventures! Love, Mom & Dad

Mya, I’m very proud of all your accomplishments with more to come. Study hard & enjoy your time in HS. Grampy is watching over you. Lots of Love, Nana

ORONO MIDDLE SCHOOL

Iktome "Tumi" Cardinal

OLD TOWN HIGH SCHOOL

SAINT OSCAR ROMEO H.S. EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CA

Hannah, we are so proud of you and your accomplishments. Best wishes next year at Husson. Love you, Mammy & Papa Lacadie

As your accomplishments continue we wish you a prosperous, healthy and happy future. Love, Buppie & Gee

HERMON HIGH SCHOOL

Mya Theriault

Congratulations Isaac!! You have worked hard to be a person who sets and accomplishes personal goals. We are so proud of your musical talents and of your motivation to share them! You have the ability to make life better for all who know you. Never take that for granted and you will continue feeling proud of who you are. Work hard but have fun in your upcoming John Bapst journey. Your family loves you so much Isaac!! ROCK ON LITTLEJOHN

Isaac Littlejohn

CENTER DRIVE SCHOOL

BDN Graduation Celebration • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • June 5, 2020

Congratulations! We’re so proud of you! And can’t wait to see what high school brings you. We Love You! Mom, Dad & Ellie and Gram & Pa Kole Nevells

HELEN S. DUNN SCHOOL

To say I'm proud of this young man is an understatement . . You captured my heart from the first time I held you. Your 8th graduation is not ending as planned, but you did it! Congratulations. Make the best of the next 4 years as they will go by quickly. We are so proud of you, Grady James Vanidestine. Love you buddy . . Auntie & Uncle Scott

Mariah Roberts

Madison Gibbs

CENTER DRIVE SCHOOL

You are a shining star, we are so proud of you!

We're so proud of you! Your determination will take you far. Good luck at Brewer High School! Love, Mom, Dad & Laina

BREWER HIGH SCHOOL

Love, Dad, Nana & Frank

Max Miller

BANGOR HIGH SCHOOL

Max, we are so proud of you. Congratulations! Love, Mom, Dad, David, and Grandma

Mya, Always remember you are braver than you believe, Stronger than you seem Smarter than you think & Loved more than you know We're so proud of you sweet girl Enjoy your High School years! Grady James Vanidestine BREWER COMMUNITY SCHOOL

Love Mom, Rick, Landon & Ama

Mya Theriault

REEDS BROOK MIDDLE SCHOOL

Mya, Always remember you are braver than you believe, Stronger than you seem Smarter than you think & Loved more than you know

Melinda Coombs

SUMNER MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL

Congratulations!!!

Love, Grammie, Auntie Amie, Alex, Tyler, Age, Annagail & Blakelynn

Sammy & Connor Bay CENTER DRIVE SCHOOL

Congratulations! We love you & are so very proud of you both! Good luck at John Bapst. Mom, Dad & Hayden

Whitney Larson

CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

We are proud of you!

Love, Mom, John, Mariah and Grammie Lowe

William Allen Hartt Jr. HERMON HIGH SCHOOL

We're so proud of al l that you've accomplished! Looking forward to your future! Love, Mom & Dad

BDN Graduation Celebration • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • June 5, 2020