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Batchelor says the district don’t have any specifics yet on what these celebrations could look like, and all options are on the table, including postponing ceremonies or creating virtual events.

A recent letter sent to parents of students at Edmonton Catholic Schools says graduation events will go ahead this fall, provided the health crisis is over. Ceremonies will include commencement, mass, formal presentations and speeches, and refreshments.

Photo by Larry Wong / POSTMEDIA NETWORK

‘A graduation to remember’

Grade 12 Ross Sheppard School student Elle McIntosh says she’s disappointed graduation can’t go ahead as planned.

“It does suck, but it’s not the end of the world for us, there will be different things that we’re going to be able to do to celebrate it, she said. “I mean, it will be a graduation to remember.”

Like other girls her age, she bought a dress to wear to the year-end banquet, dance and ceremony.

“I was looking forward to it, it’s just too bad that we went through all that schooling to have our graduation cancelled and not be able to celebrate with our friends,” McIntosh said.

Meantime, students at the University of Alberta will be hosting convocation online June 12, and will hold an in-person ceremony for grads “when it is safe to do so,” says U of A spokesman Michael Brown.

Graduation T-shirts

Quintin Dunham, and his friend Jessica Wolfrey, both 18-year-old students at Ardrossan Junior Senior High School, are finding their own way to help other students celebrate graduation by designing class of 2020 t-shirts.

“Our graduating class is pretty disappointed that we’re unable to spend (graduation) in the classroom. Our shirts are trying to bring a smile to their face and just be funny, little T-shirts to remember once-in-a lifetime graduating experience,” Dunham said.

Dunham says some of the shirts designs are inspired by the television show Friends: “Class of 2020: The one where they were quarantined.”

lboothby@postmedia.com

@laurby