Sheldon, Iowa — High school graduation is a launching point for young lives. Whether they’re headed into further education, the workforce or the military, high school graduation is an exciting time for seniors and their families. Until this year. Sheldon High School’s Class of 2020 SHOULD have received their diplomas in graduation ceremonies this past Memorial Day Weekend, but COVID-19 caused things to be put on hold. In fact, until recently, it wasn’t known if the district would be able to hold a graduation ceremony at all.
While the risk of the coronavirus hasn’t been eliminated, restrictions in the state have been lifted, allowing Sheldon High School to hold their graduation ceremony this Sunday, June 28th, beginning at 2:00 pm. This year, Principal Sherrie Zeutenhorst says graduation ceremonies are being moved outside, to the Orab football field.
(As above) “That will allow us to provide some distancing between our graduates. On the football field we’ll have about six feet spacing between them, to allow for that recommendation by O’Brien County Public Health.”
She says having the ceremony at the football field will also allow those attending to practice social distancing.
(As above) “The parents, family members that want to come and take in the graduation ceremony they can spread out on the bleachers, or they might want to bring a lawn chair and sit along the fence line. So that provides for a lot of open-air seating. So, that’s our plan.”
Zeutenhorst says not all 65 of the members of the Sheldon High School Class of 2020 will be able to attend Sunday’s graduation ceremony.
(As above) “We have 65 graduating on Sunday, (but) only 59 are able to make it. We’ve already had a couple of students who’ve moved away, one is in military training, so we’re going to celebrate with 59 of the 65 graduates.”
She says the Class of 2020 was forced to miss out on so so many normal senior-year memories, and she’s glad the school can make graduation happen.
(As above) “I’m just very excited to be able to celebrate this graduation with the Class of 2020. I know they’ve had a really different year….didn’t get a lot of ‘the lasts’….walking down the hallway, the last track meet, last concert. They missed out on a lot of those moments. But I’m just really excited that we can celebrate this moment with our seniors, and celebrate the four years they’ve spent here and all of their accomplishments. I’m just really excited that we could make it happen on Sunday.”
Sunday’s Sheldon High School graduation ceremony is scheduled to begin at 2:00 pm at Orab Field. If you’d like to attend but don’t feel comfortable doing so, either due to coronavirus concerns or just don’t want to sit out in the heat of the day, you can watch the Sheldon Class of 2020’s graduation ceremony online. KIWA will be providing a live video stream of the ceremony on both our Facebook page and our website, kiwaradio.com. The video feed will be available beginning at approximately 1:55 Sunday afternoon.
In honor of the Sheldon High School class of 2020, the Sheldon Avenue of Flags will be on display at the Sheldon City Park on Sunday, as well. Volunteers are needed Sunday morning at 7:00 am to put the flags out, and again at 5:30 Sunday afternoon to take them down. Volunteers are asked to meet at the City Park. Thirty or more volunteers are needed.
Photo above: The Sheldon High School Class of 2020. Photo taken at graduation practice. Photo courtesy of Gene Bomgaars & Sheldon High School
