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UCSB plans for virtual graduation 6,793 students to receive degrees
RAFAEL MALDONADO / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
As the Santa Barbara High School class of 2020 made their way through their Senior Salute, they were welcomed with olive and gold balloons.
Pomp and new circumstances SB district’s high schools get creative with commencements during pandemic
NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO
A graduate celebrates at a previous UCSB commencement. The university is now planning a virtual graduation June 13.
By JOSH GREGA NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Due to COVID-19 crowd size restrictions, 6,793 UCSB undergraduate and graduate students will receive their degrees in a socially distant manner during the university’s Class of 2020 Virtual Celebration. The online event will begin at 9 a.m. on June 13, the same day the graduating class would have walked across a stage before a crowdful of families if not for the pandemic. According to a press release, UCSB will hold an in-person ceremony for the Class of 2020 at a later date once restrictions no longer prohibit large group gatherings.
As per usual during UCSB’s inperson graduation ceremonies, Chancellor Henry T. Yang will give remarks during the virtual commencement. Faculty speakers will include the deans of the College of Creative Studies, the College of Engineering, and the College of Letters and Science. Courtney Chan, a graduate earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology, will be a student speaker. Though the celebration may be online for the time being, the university has made an effort to ensure that the virtual ceremony has a feeling of excitement. To achieve this, the virtual commencement will include Please see UCSB on A8
RAFAEL MALDONADO / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
“I mean, what could he have been doing that you needed to put your foot on his neck?” asked Arnold Buckner of Santa Barbara.
Locals, visitors discuss George Floyd protests
Graduating senior Sofia Capelletti Garcia smiles as she gets ready to receive her diploma.
By BRIAN MACKLEY NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
With the 2020 school year coming to a close, Santa Barbara Unified School District high schools are finding new, creative ways to throw on their graduation ceremonies while still adhering to the statewide social distancing guidelines. The Santa Barbara High School class of 2020 was supposed to be the first class to continue with the school’s tradition of walking down the hill after the recent, longawaited renovation of Peabody Stadium. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the school was forced to temporarily switch its traditional graduation ceremony. The sudden change in plans still didn’t prevent California’s third oldest high school from kicking off the week’s graduation celebrations on Monday with an all-day Senior Salute that involved students and their families driving through the campus to receive their diplomas. During the drive-through ceremony, vehicles were decorated in the school’s colors of olive and gold as students and their loved ones drove through campus. The seniors were met with a line of staff members cheering them on as they individually got out of their cars in front of the high school where they received their diploma and got a picture with their principal, Dr. Elise Simmons. “There is something about being here that’s special,” faculty member Eric Nichoson said. “Some of the people Please see graduation on A2
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Variety of opinions expressed on State Street By GRAYCE MCCORMICK NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
While still maintaining a distance of 6 feet apart, Santa Barbara High students like Nathalia Arias were able to remove their masks so they could take a graduation picture in front of their school.
The outbreak of protests and riots following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minn., has sparked a high level of discussion among Santa Barbara natives and visitors. Following the protest organized by Black Lives Matter Santa Barbara on Sunday, scattered viewpoints and a variety of perspectives were expressed by people of all ages and races on State Street. Kimberly Ray, the founder of the Marine Conservation Network Please see PROTESTS on A8
Kimberly Ray believes the protests have gotten out of hand, and there’s something behind them motivating the violence and looting.
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