Graduation 2020 – A first-ever graduation experience, perhaps never to be duplicated 

Like high schools and universities across the country, Revere  Local Schools  was faced with a challenge of how to graduate the 2020 senior class so that they will always have a memory to hold dear to them.  It took a village with a great deal of effort and planning, but they pulled it off.  

For Revere seniors, the village of teachers, administrators, parents, police and fire officers from throughout the school district worked together to make a special, and quite unique graduation for the departing students.  

It started with a parade on May 20  around the district lead by the police and fire departments. Families, teachers and residents came out to wave their  congratulations.  

Teachers wrote  meaningful letters  to their  students and the PTSA provided goody bags and survivor t-shirts.  So that no one  was forgotten, some parents  “adopted”  students.  

To receive their diploma, each  senior was brought to the “old” high school stage, wearing his or her cap and gown on two separate days, with their families, where they  were professionally videotaped.  

The 195 graduating students were  recorded  separately. Those recordings, along with speeches and  the farewell  address  of senior class president Andrew  Schwertner  were professionally merged.  

The  class had 52  Summa Cum Laude graduates,  10 National Merit Finalists. Four students earned a perfect ACT score.  

The  senior  finale was on June 7 when the  classmates  and their families were welcomed at the Magic City Drive-in  theater  to watch the commencement video  with speeches, photos of the class members, and the symphonic choir singing the Alma Mater via Zoom.  Fireworks and a movie were shown to bring  this tumultuous school year with many memories and awards to a final ending. The Class of 2020 will be the last class to graduate from the high school that is soon to be razed. 

Feature image photo caption: Student council president Grace Boyle appears on the big screen at the Barberton Magic City Drive-in Theater. Photo courtesy Revere Schools