Warriors graduate one at a time over three days of ceremonies

By Sarah Brown
Lebanon Local

Lebanon High School graduated 292 students in a three-day ceremony Tuesday, June 16, to Thursday, June 18, at the high school auditorium.
To keep with safe guidelines in regards to COVID-19, only a limited amount of people were allowed in the building at a time.
Two students were scheduled every five minutes, and each student was allowed a maximum of 10 friends and family to join them.
The ceremony began with graduates signing “the rock” in front of the Bud Page Activity Center. It’s a tradition that was re-instated just this year, said Hailey Johnson, class president.
Every graduate was presented with a cord as a gesture of honor for graduating during this unconventional season, then they waited outside until they could enter the building.
Diplomas were handed to each student before they proceeded to the hallway, where they again waited a couple of minutes.
As the processional music began in the auditorium, the doors were opened and the graduate walked to the stage, with their family and friends posted in front of the stage. A short message of congratulations was presented by a valedictorian, and the graduate posed for photos before turning their tassel to the left side of their cap.
The group then exited into the cafeteria and out the front doors of the building. Outside, a string of staff and teachers clapped and whoo-hoo’d each student, and parents snapped photos of their grad in front of the LHS sign.
It all took about 10 minutes.

One attendee shook her head, saying, “That was the saddest graduation I’ve ever been to.” Another walked out declaring it was “nice,” indicating relief he didn’t have to sit through a two-hour ceremony.
Jasmine Decker received a roaring send-off when 13 motorcycles rumbled through the parking lot.
“My dad’s a Road Maggot, so they’re a second family to me. They wanted to congratulate me since they couldn’t be there,” Decker explained.
“She’s always coming, helping out with all of our fundraisers, and been a big help to us, so we wanted to show support for her,” said her dad, Justin Decker.
Finishing the school year due to the COVID pandemic was smooth for some, but tough for others.
Edgar Ibarra said with all the sicknesses and protests and other uproars going around, it was a bad way to the end the year.
Dina Altuhovs believes the school made a good decision to move online right away, she said.
“I feel like we were able to at least be in the comfort of our homes during a pandemic, versus getting other people sick,” Altuhovs said.
But COVID didn’t hinder the flow of scholarship aid to the graduates.
“Seniors received $111,051.73 in local scholarships this year,” said Wendy Eilers, secretary of LHS college and career center. “We are very thankful for our community that gives so much to our seniors.”
Valedictorians for the Class of 2020 were Dina Altuhovs, Taylor Bilyeu, Jason Bowser, KC Long, Courtenay Miller, Rebecca Munk, Abigail Reynders, Victoria Shelton, Sukhvir Sranna, Eric Weber and Sarah Wienold.
Salutatorians were Emily Cole and Austin Parrish.
Since COVID cinched off the final two months of classes, administration, teachers and students had to figure out how to complete requirements so the class could graduate.
Tim Helland, computer technology and robotics teacher, said they managed it “one day at a time.”
“Obviously, there were challenges,” Helland said. “I won’t lie; the first week we came back was rough. It was a hard week just because of having to basically re-tool every solution that you have put years working in the classroom (that) doesn’t work anymore. It was just a big amount of transition, like re-thinking your paradigm about instruction.”
Science teacher Joan Swafford said there was a lot of great collaboration between the teachers and administration that made the transition workable.
“It was difficult and tricky, but we got through it because the teachers really worked together, and the administration was very supportive and helpful,” Swafford said.

In order to honor the graduating class, the community initiated a number of ways to show their pride in the students.
Eilers orchestrated a local version of the national “Be the Light” movement at Heath Stadium.
Every Friday, from April 10 and ending Tuesday, June 9 (the original graduation day), the stadium lights went on at 20:20 for 20 minutes and 20 seconds to honor the LHS graduating class of 2020.
“We played music, and cars honked their horns as they drove by to support the seniors,” she said.
In addition to that, Eilers saw that other communities were organizing “adopt a senior” opportunities, so she started a Facebook page to organize a similar event for the LHS class.
Graduating seniors and their family were invited to post on the page, and the community was able to choose a grad to “spoil.”
“I thought that was really cool,” said Christian McCardy, who was adopted by Leah Weathers. “A lot of people were real nice and would adopt multiple seniors. They would go out of their way to get them stuff and make it better for them.”
And finally, since social distancing rules still hamper the annual grad night, Eilers said she and other parents of 2020 graduates will host an online giveaway of prizes.
While there is a mix of response to how the school year ended, the three-day graduation ceremony went pretty smooth, and students were happy to have a chance to walk.
“It kind of sucks, but I’m glad they figured something out, that we can all walk and have our families here and enjoy it,” McCardy said.
When quarantine was put into effect, the Gillott Home Team, Keller Williams Realty Mid-Willamette, began reflecting on its effect and how they could offer assistance, said Mindy VanTil, director of marketing.
“We knew that grads were heading into a tough time, having their graduation ceremony altered and several senior traditions like prom and senior night being canceled completely,” she said.
So the company purchased yard signs, and organized a sort of “parade” to deliver them to each graduating senior.
“We wanted to be able to recognize their achievement in a public way and, hopefully, let them know that they have a community celebrating with them, in spite of the lack of social celebrations,” VanTil said.

Congratulations, LHS Class of 2020