On Tuesday, June 9, Wyandotte High School officially closed out the last of six graduation ceremonies for the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools.
Each high school within the district held alternative celebrations at the Boulevard Drive-in in Kansas City, Kansas.
The graduations are a high point for the district as COVID-19 halted nearly all of the traditional events and gatherings such as prom and graduation that represent a rite of passage for high school seniors. But the pandemic didn’t suppress the district staff’s resolve to create an alternative approach for this milestone in education for the 2020 graduating class.
“A lot of my classmates were really bummed at first because we couldn’t have a traditional graduation,” said Wyandotte graduate, Damaris Mireless. “I thought it was really a good idea to host graduations at the drive-in. A lot of people were able to access the location and even if you weren’t, the school was able to provide transportation for families who couldn’t attend.”
The melody of “Pomp and Circumstance” played through the speakers as students and their families entered the grounds of the drive-in. The hour-long program began with Ray Charles’ rendition of “America the Beautiful” performed over the backdrop of an image of the American flag.
Dr. Charles Foust, superintendent,opened with an address to the students, followed by remarks from the valedictorian and salutatorian. Other components in the program included the principal’s address, a recognition of academic achievements, the presentation of graduates, and concluded with the conferral of diplomas by members of the Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Education. All of this occurred on the big screen.
“It was nice that we got to see ourselves on the screen and cheer for each other,” said Washington graduate, Adijah Darden, who will be attending Kansas City Kansas Community College in the fall.
Lashandra Darden, the mother of Adijah, said they wished more of her family members could have celebrated the moment with them, but appreciated what the district did to make this ceremony a memorable one for her daughter.
“The ceremony itself was really nice. I appreciate the fact that they at least tried to do something for our seniors than to not have anything at all. The students had a chance to see their friends that they hadn’t seen in a few months,” she said.
The principal of Schlagle High School, Yolanda Thompson, agreed. “It was a uniquely special evening for a special graduating class, despite this unprecedented time in history,” she said. “We were able to hear every speech and every name called because we had our own sound systems within our vehicles. The size and location allowed everyone to view every aspect of the ceremony without anyone obstructing the view.”
With honking horns, cheers and adulation abounding, the excitement from students and their families filled the hot and humid evening air.
“It was great to see the families and how creative they got with decorations as well as how to maximize passengers attending. We had a lot of families that were able to view the graduation through the Facebook live link, which was extremely accessible to many populations,” said Rick Malone, principal of Sumner Academy of Arts and Science.
Each graduation ceremony was live-streamed on the district’s Facebook page, which in total received over 51,000 views and nearly, 2,000 comments.
Former Sumner Academy graduate of the class of 2014, Kalen Allen, was the highlight of Sumner’s graduation ceremony with a surprise cameo appearance. The KCK native is a well-known YouTube sensation who rapidly became famous for his critique of food. His popularity earned him his own segment OMKalen on the popular Ellen DeGeneres Show. His congratulatory video added a special touch to the evening with words of inspiration to this year’s class.
“Don’t take any moment for granted, soak in the sun, live your best life, and follow your dreams, and never stop being resilient and persistent in your journey called life,” Allen said.
“It was such a memorable evening for students and staff,” Malone said. “Everyone was accommodating and had the best interest of students and their families as their primary goal. This is the capstone of a student’s secondary career. Although students did not have a traditional ceremony, I know for a fact they had a ceremony that they will be able to remember and talk about for a lifetime.”
More than 1,400 seniors celebrated their final year with final goodbyes and tears of joy. Dr. Foust credited the success of the graduation ceremonies to the hard work of staff and most importantly the support from community partners, including the owners of the Boulevard Drive-in, Unified Government Mayor David Alvey, guidance from the Wyandotte County Public health officer, Dr. Allen Greiner, and state officials.
Reflecting on the planning leading to graduation, Dr. Foust noted that “this series of alternative graduations reflect the best of KCK, from a staff of people who were united for a common goal to the flexibility and creativity of students and their families who demanded our young people the celebration they undoubtedly deserve. I’m ecstatic of what we were able to accomplish as a district given the moment and most proud of our graduating senior class.”
- Story from Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools