Brownsville Area High School grads looking to the future as their high school careers close
Alyssa Choiniere | 缅北禁地
Caleb DellaPenna, a member of the Brownsville Area High School Class of 2020, said his socially distant graduation was special because it was different.
Alyssa Choiniere | 缅北禁地
Brownsville Area High School graduate Adia Eilam receives her diploma from Principal Kellie Stout Tuesday morning during a socially distant ceremony. Eilam said the experience was surreal.
Alyssa Choiniere | 缅北禁地
Brownsville Area High School Principal Kellie Stout turns the tassel of graduate Preston Frost during a socially distant ceremony Tuesday morning.
Alyssa Choiniere | 缅北禁地
Brownsville Area High School graduate Caleb DellaPenna receives his diploma from Principal Kellie Stout Tuesday morning during a socially distant ceremony.
The Brownsville Area High School Class of 2020 expected they would walk across the stage in their caps and gowns in front of a cheering audience filled with friends, family and classmates.
While the graduates received their diplomas along with as many of the graduation traditions as possible, they walked across the stage before a nearly empty auditorium. The Pomp and Circumstance March was played. Principal Kellie Stout gently moved their tassels to the left side of their caps before they posed for photos.
鈥淚t鈥檚 disheartening, because everything they鈥檝e traditionally done is affected by social distancing,鈥� Stout said.
She said she is close to her students, and wanted to give them as many of the typical senior year and graduation experiences as possible. A drive-in graduation ceremony was planned for Tuesday evening, with speeches from the valedictorian, salutatorian and senior class representatives, and a special message from Stout. During the virtual ceremony, each graduate鈥檚 photo was displayed, along with their fondest memory, future plans and the clubs and activities in which they were involved. The theme of the ceremony was being resilient and open to change.
Graduates Tuesday morning said they are focused on the future, even though they did not receive the graduation they鈥檇 envisioned.
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 feel real, not like a real graduation,鈥� said graduate Adia Eilam.
Her dad, Bruce Eilam, said the quiet atmosphere made the experience surreal.
鈥淏ut overall, we鈥檙e just proud she got it done, and we鈥檒l move onto the next thing,鈥� he said.
She will attend Temple University for human resources.
Graduate Preston Frost said he was most impacted when his baseball season was cut short. He was accepted to Fairmont State University and plans to study architecture. He hopes to play baseball for the university.
鈥淚f not, that鈥檚 OK,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檒l just do my best and go on with my life.鈥�
Amy DellaPenna, mother of graduate Caleb DellaPenna, said she cried during the socially distant graduation.
鈥淚t鈥檚 sad. I feel bad for them,鈥� she said.
But her son had a brighter outlook on the situation.
鈥淚鈥檓 just happy that the school was able to do something to honor us,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 different, but it鈥檚 special because it鈥檚 different.鈥�
He will attend Slippery Rock University to study public health, with a concentration in physician鈥檚 assistant studies. He smiled broadly when he held up his diploma.
鈥淭his is his day,鈥� said his mom.