SC schools to have both in-person and virtual graduations

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — High school graduation season is getting ready to start in South Carolina, and a quite a few students will be able to get their diplomas in their caps and gowns together and in person.

In recent weeks, a number of districts said enough progress had been made fighting the COVID-19 pandemic to allow ceremonies with plenty of sanitizer, protective equipment and graduates and their two or four guests socially distant.

Those ceremonies need a lot of room, so most of the districts have gone back to old-fashioned graduations in high school football stadiums. A few districts, like the state’s largest in Greenville County, are having ceremonies in bigger arenas.

“Finding a way to celebrate their accomplishments in-person and in the company of their most honored guests, despite the necessary restrictions that are in place as the result of this pandemic, has been a focus of our work over the past few weeks,” Greenville County School District Superintendent Burke Royster said in a statement.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control said Sunday that the state has had nearly 10,100 confirmed cases of the virus. At least 435 people have died.

Some districts aren’t ready to bring everyone together. Charleston County is having a virtual ceremony for each high school at the same time. The recorded video will have pictures of each graduate, typical speeches and awards.

Schools in Sumter and Beaufort counties and a few other districts are inviting graduates and a few guests to schools in small groups to individually walk across their stage as their name is announced with a special video and photos.

“Our goal is to celebrate the Class of 2020’s accomplishments as safely as possible for everyone concerned,” Beaufort County School Superintendent Frank Rodriguez said. “Our students haven’t been able to experience a number of exciting things normally associated with senior celebrations, so we want to create something memorable and fun.”

At least one high school will get the ultimate in special guests for their ceremony. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster will speak at the Friday graduation for West Florence High School at the city’s arena.

“The class of 2020 will be a memorable one for many reasons, but I believe they will be most appropriately remembered for their successes after high school and not for the circumstances under which they graduated,” McMaster said, accepting the invitation.