On April 7th, the class of 2020 received the heartbreaking news that graduation had been cancelled. Frustrated students and parents took matters into their own hands to create a petition on change.org asking the school district to reconsider their earlier decision. After the petition received close to ten thousand supporters, the district sent out yet another email clarifying that graduation was not completely cancelled and that they were all looking at other options. Some schools around the country have been thinking about creative ways to honor their seniors. Wellington High School has been passing out yard signs to their students and honking to make sure they know they are being celebrated. Other schools have held parades or drive-thru ceremonies where seniors receive their cap and gowns. 

That comment gave the senior class one last hope that they would be able to have a regular graduation like every class before them, but little did they know that the district had a different plan. On April 12th, the school sent out a message that graduation was in fact cancelled and that students should save that email as a part of their high school “scrapbook.” The Palm Beach School District then announced that the school would in fact participate in a graduation, but that it would be conducted virtually and be broadcast on the district cable  channel. There would still be speeches and all the names would be read along with the student’s senior picture flashed on the screen. This said, West Boca graduation will be broadcast on June 3rd at 6:30pm, so do not forget to tune in to support the amazing class of 2020. 

In the middle of this chaos and emails being flooded with complaints from parents and students, our principal Mr. Capitano decided to spread some light to the first high school graduating class of his career. He acknowledged that “this senior year is nothing like what it should be.” He also continued on to explain that he is looking forward to a future where the whole senior class will spend a weekend having “a simple prom, graduation with a picture opportunity, and a senior picnic.” He pointed out that he is not sure when such weekend would be, but that he is surely looking forward to having us all together once again for the last time.