VANCOUVER, Wash. — Getting your cap and gown before graduation is a rite of passage for high school seniors.
Normally, cap and gown distribution happens during a school day. For the class of 2020, the tradition is much different. Like many schools, Columbia River High School in the Vancouver School District made an event out of seniors getting their caps and gowns, since on-campus classes are not happening.
School leaders set up the parking lot with music and a big, inflatable finish line that students could drive under to pick up their gear this week. Teachers and staff honked their horns, sitting in the vehicles in the pick-up area. Family and friends with signs and balloons and cowbells cheered their seniors on.
"It's sad," said senior Breauna Hansen. "I would have preferred to pick it up during the school day like I was supposed to, but I mean, it’s life."
"This is not the way they wanted to end the year so I just wanted them to know we’re all here for them and for them to move on out of high school and move on to their next steps," said cheerleading coach Allie Bull.
Columbia River senior Jolee Shields cheered on her friends from the sideline, until it was her turn to get in her car and drive through for her cap and gown, and then her friends cheered for her.
"It’s good, it’s really hard not seeing my friends all the time," said Shields. "I’ve been smiling this whole time. I’ll probably go home and my cheeks will hurt… so I'm excited."
Distance learning is not quite over for the seniors. The high school is planning some sort of virtual graduation ceremony June 8, and they are hoping to hold an in-person ceremony in August.