By Laura Keil
Valemount’s grad class will be one of the few in the district allowed to go ahead this year due to its small size – just 13 students. Each grad can have two guests. Even though the ceremony will be closed to the public, there are still ways for the community to be involved – namely through a live-stream and a “reverse parade.” The reverse parade idea came from another community, Valemount Principal Derrick Shaw said. The grads will exit the school after the ceremony and stand six feet apart along the sidewalk near the bus lane and community members are invited to drive by to wish the grads good luck and see them in their formal attire. The only caveat is the parade of onlookers must practice social distancing, preferably by staying inside a vehicle. The live stream is being managed by Valemount Community TV. Anyone who wishes to watch the grad live on YouTube can visit this link: https://youtu.be/KiYPDuRNTSk The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 1pm on Friday, June 5th. The parade will take place at approx. 3:30.
The details for McBride’s grad ceremony June 20th are still being worked out, but they will likely have an invite-only live-stream of the ceremony and are also hoping for some type of parade, if approvals are given. Speeches from dignitaries will be taped and broadcast during the ceremony. Current plans include a sit-down dinner and a social-distancing themed dance. Stay tuned for more details.
