MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Somewhat normal graduation ceremonies are scheduled for all three Monongalia County high schools on their football fields this weekend.
University High School will hold its ceremony at 7 p.m. Friday, Morgantown High School will have a ceremony Saturday at 10 a.m. with the Clay-Battelle High School ceremony is Sunday at 3 p.m.
Monongalia County School Superintendent Eddie Campbell said the ceremonies should be a celebration after a challenging year impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There was never any doubt in my mind that we wouldn’t make it to this day,” Campbell said Friday during an appearance on WAJR Radio’s “Talk of the Town,” “The community has really been terrific through this whole event. I think everybody is really seeing how that effort has really got us to this day.”
Students and families have worked the uncertainty of the virus – masks, social distancing, disinfecting and all the theories on how long the virus can live in the air or survive on surfaces. Then families adjusted to virtual learning while watched the statewide map to find out if the next week of classes would be online or in-person. There were also legal battles questioning the methodology of the map and how athletics and extracurricular activities should be conducted.
“They’re going to be remembered as the most resilient graduating class in the recent history of education, at least in our lifetime as adults,” Campbell said. “No other class has had to endure what this class has done beginning last March.”
According to Campbell, giving advice to seniors is always important, but he said maybe the students should provide life advice to the adults following their graduation amid a pandemic.
“You say, what advice could we give to these kids?” Campbell asked. “You talk to them about overcoming obstacles and adversity- we couldn’t give any more good advice than what they’ve been through this past year.”
Because of the changing policies and challenges on the way to graduation, this class should be reminded to enjoy life while also working hard, Campbell said.
“I say guys, ladies don’t grow up too fast, slow down, enjoy life, you’ve got a lot of time left. Don’t work your life away,” he said.