WACO, Texas — Saturday afternoon, if you drove by University High School in Waco, you likely saw a parade in the parking lot.
"COVID-19 is making a real big impact in our community," Janie Martinez said. "We wanted for our seniors to know that they're loved. We're so excited because seven of our family members are graduating."
Martinez's family held the celebration after Waco ISD announced Friday it would move forward with in-person graduation ceremonies for University and Waco High Schools on May 29 and 30 without families in the stadium.
Families will be forced to watch on the district's TV channel and then have the option to go to the campus with the graduate to pick up their diploma, where the district will provide photographers.
But a group of graduating seniors at University is working with students across town at Waco High to urge the district to reconsider the plan.
"That's the only thing we were looking forward to, with our parents and other seniors," University Senior Class President Britney Silva said. "Because our other (senior) activities were all taken away."
The class officers were trying to meet with the district to plea their case, asking to postpone the ceremonies as the governor works toward allowing gatherings, again.
But, Silva said they got an email saying the postponement of commencement wouldn't change what the district would have to do.
Waco ISD superintendent Susan Kincannon released a statement to 6 News:
"My heart goes out to the entire Class of 2020. None of us could have imagined the kind of ending that this group of seniors would have. This is not my or anyone's first choice for how we would like to celebrate their accomplishments.
Based on the state’s guidance for school districts, holding graduation on a later date would not change the options that are available. Our decision to host graduation ceremonies at the stadium on May 29 and 30 is intended to honor our students at the first available opportunity.
School districts have a requirement to screen everyone coming in for signs that they could have the virus, as well as all of the seniors. This creates an additional challenge beyond our concern regarding our ability to safely maintain social distancing at the limited number of entrances/exits at the stadium.
To ensure that our students have a special memory with their families, individual time slots will be provided for each graduate and their family to pick up their diploma at their campus and have a professional photograph taken in their caps and gowns.
While a traditional graduation ceremony is not planned, it’s our hope that we can still create a special moment and memory for our graduates.”
UHS Senior Class Treasurer Jalissa Jaral said they were hoping to present the option for volunteers screening a finite number of family members at the gates to the stadium, because the officers all said it was most important to them to celebrate with their loved ones as the book of life turns to its next chapter.
"A lot of us are first-generation," class secretary Carolina Perez said. "A lot of them haven't seen their students walk across the stage to get their diploma and we want them to see that."
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