The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

The Wahkiakum High School Class of 2020 had a practice run for graduation last Thursday and Friday, as 32 students and their families visited the high school, one by one to check out, turn in books and clean out lockers.

Each student in turn put on their cap and gown, as their family watched and took pictures and a videographer documented the event. Each student received an unofficial diploma after their name was read, and they turned their tassels for the camera.

The two day cap and gown affair was planned as back up for the official event, but it was also designed to allow students and families to celebrate the big moment together in the middle of a pandemic, when a normal graduation ceremony just wasn’t possible. It also gave staff, faculty, and students a little time together, something they haven’t had much of in 2020.

This Friday, June 12, at 7p.m., the Class of 2020 will graduate in a small ceremony attended by the seniors and a few members of necessary staff. Wahkiakum County is in Phase 3, and that means that gatherings must be limited to 50 people.

Thanks to technology, graduation can be viewed live online by all. Graduation will be broadcast on Youtube, on the Wahkiakum School District Broadcasting page.

There will be two speakers this year, Valedictorian Nai’a Freeman and Elijah Doiran, who was selected to speak by the class and faculty.

Students had a huge hand in putting this together, Principal Stephanie Leitz said, along with staff, and Wahkiakum Health and Human Services.

Leitz expects graduation to end sometime between 8:15-8:30 p.m.

At 8:45, students will gather along the fence line on the school access road, which winds between the high school and grade school, and all are welcome to join the parade of well wishers, who must remain in their cars, as they drive by and congratulate the new graduates. The parade will begin with representatives from Dollars for Scholars, who will hand out scholarships.