Pandemic circumstances don't stop pomp
JACKSON TWP — Seneca Valley High School graduated 567 seniors Thursday and Friday in a ceremony altered to fit pandemic-induced regulations.
While the event might not have been what many graduates dreamed about, it allowed families to commemorate a turning point in their children's lives.
“I don't believe milestones should pass us without celebration and reflection,” said Tracy Vitale, district superintendent. “We were determined to give every student their moment with all the pomp and circumstance.”
“I think it's the best that we could have hoped for,” said Kristin Hanks, who stood with her family on the bleachers of NexTier Stadium Thursday to watch her daughter, Corrine, graduate.
The Hanks family was among those who drove through the Seneca Valley campus down to the football field at times scheduled alphabetically according to last name.
Although not all district personnel and faculty were present during the event, many arrived early Thursday morning to install inspirational signs for students.
“(It was) an early morning for everybody,” said Jeff James, district supervisor of safety and security.
This is an excerpt from a larger article that will appear in Sunday's Butler Eagle. Subscribe online or in print to read the full article.
