Graduation do over: College graduates prepare to walk the stage for the first time after COVID-19 disrupted high school … – WPTZ

Graduation weekend is here for students in the class of 2024 at the University of Vermont and SUNY Plattsburgh, and it's an especially important year as many students in this year's graduating class will be walking the stage for the first time. The class of 2024 was once the class of 2020, graduating high school at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many students recalled what should have been a special day of capping off their high school careers by wearing masks, social distancing and even receiving their diplomas from behind the wheel of their cars. We had like a runway show, basically. Everyone split up like 20 minutes apart. You didnt really see anyone," said Justin McKendrick, a UVM senior. "You kind of saw the cars drive in and the cars drive out.For students like McKendrick, "drive-thru" graduations were the only way to celebrate 12 years of hard work safely. It was super weird. It was upsetting. We had graduation in a parking lot in our cars, and everyone was like in the car, and we were just like honking, and I wore my gap and gown in my car," UVM senior Julia Helel said. And when they weren't in their cars, other students like Noah Ballin said his graduation took place the way most events would during the pandemic; virtually. It was just like a Zoom call essentially where they read off some names, did a couple speeches, and thats about it," Ballin said. That's why this year, they're looking forward to celebrating their college graduations the way they should have celebrated the end of high school with their friends and family all together, cheering them on. Since we didnt get that last one, it feels great to finally get some recognition after all the years of school. So, Im glad this one finally happened," Ballin said. Both UVM and SUNY Plattsburgh will hold university-wide commencement ceremonies starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 19.

Graduation weekend is here for students in the class of 2024 at the University of Vermont and SUNY Plattsburgh, and it's an especially important year as many students in this year's graduating class will be walking the stage for the first time.

The class of 2024 was once the class of 2020, graduating high school at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many students recalled what should have been a special day of capping off their high school careers by wearing masks, social distancing and even receiving their diplomas from behind the wheel of their cars.

We had like a runway show, basically. Everyone split up like 20 minutes apart. You didnt really see anyone," said Justin McKendrick, a UVM senior. "You kind of saw the cars drive in and the cars drive out.

For students like McKendrick, "drive-thru" graduations were the only way to celebrate 12 years of hard work safely.

It was super weird. It was upsetting. We had graduation in a parking lot in our cars, and everyone was like in the car, and we were just like honking, and I wore my gap and gown in my car," UVM senior Julia Helel said.

And when they weren't in their cars, other students like Noah Ballin said his graduation took place the way most events would during the pandemic; virtually.

It was just like a Zoom call essentially where they read off some names, did a couple speeches, and thats about it," Ballin said.

That's why this year, they're looking forward to celebrating their college graduations the way they should have celebrated the end of high school with their friends and family all together, cheering them on.

Since we didnt get that last one, it feels great to finally get some recognition after all the years of school. So, Im glad this one finally happened," Ballin said.

Both UVM and SUNY Plattsburgh will hold university-wide commencement ceremonies starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 19.

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Graduation do over: College graduates prepare to walk the stage for the first time after COVID-19 disrupted high school ... - WPTZ