CHEERS TO THE CLASS OF 2020
AT HOME GRADUATION CELEBRATION IDEAS

• Posted By : Allen Greenstein - President MCE
• |
• Time : 2.15 pm

Let’s start by saying - CHEERS TO THE CLASS OF 2020!  We wish you all the best and good thoughts for your future endeavors!  Unfortunately, the close of this school year has been interrupted by circumstances completely out of the students control.  Sports Banquets, Proms, graduation ceremonies, grad nights and other end of year celebrations are all being postponed or cancelled entirely. These cancellations dramatically effect the our high school seniors and college graduates.   We also want to think about the Kindergarteners looking forward to Elementary School; the Elementary kids excited about Jr. High and the Jr. High students who were FINALLY looking forward to their High School years.   They have all been affected one way or another.

What can we do to help? How can we create a viable celebration for students that have worked so hard and at this point and can only hope that fall brings something to look forward to?  Here are some in-home suggestions to make that special moment more meaningful!  Some suggestions are obvious and others are a bit more creative - Put your imagination to work and I am positive your son or daughter will appreciate your efforts!

• SOCIAL MEDIA GRADUATION ANNOUNCEMENT- Everyone is at home constantly looking at their social media for good news. Why not make YOUR announcement the best of the day! Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, and more are all ready for some good news. Create a countdown page leading up to graduation by posting old photos each day of your son or daughter growing up and posting the final picture on the original Graduation Day. Imagine all the “tweets”, “emojis” and “thumbs up” your graduate will receive.

• THE PARADE - Get everyone involved! On Graduation Day, have your son or daughter step outside for a perfectly “timed” moment and let them experience all of your neighbors, friends and family driving by in their vehicles, waiving banners, popping streamers, cheering and celebrating together.  

• UNIQUE CUSTOM SIGNS AND BANNERS - Break out your creative side!  Head out to the 99 Cent Store, Dollar Tree. or any local discount store. Purchase several colored poster boards (.50 Ea) and markers. Take some time and create a few extra large posters and place them strategically around the neighborhood (Think Yard Sale).  Ask your graduate to go run an errand along the route of the signs. You know they will see the posters all along the way wishing them CONGRATULATIONS! When they arrive at home, have the largest banner over your garage and ( if your neighbors will comply ) have them do the same. A nice week long welcome to your graduate!

• COMMUNITY SIGNS AND BANNERS - Take your Banner and Poster skills to the next level. Garner support from your son or daughter's friends and families. Put out the word that you want each family to make 10-15 large signs. Choose a day of the week for everyone to either 1) Bring all the banners to your home for you to put up  or 2) Map out the local area and ask each family to do their part in putting up signs. Place them on every light pole, power pole and lawn stake area you can find. Put so may signs and posters out that they blanket the entire neighborhood. Make our graduating seniors feel special!

• VIDEO TAPED GRADUATION WALK - Use your smart phone or tablet to record your graduates special moments.  Video the graduate putting on their gown; walking to a place inside your home or backyard; followed by a short speech to family and friends; having an official announcement from the background by a member of the family announcing your son or daughters name; and finally filling the room with cheers and applause (maybe even a few party poppers). Then post the video on your favorite social media outlet: Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, for friends and family to see.

• ZOOM VIDEO GRADUATION WALK (GO LIVE!) - Have a real live graduation ceremony for your son or daughter right at home! First Step, set up a Zoom meeting  (Zoom.us) and invite ( with Zoom links ) all of your friends and family to be a part of the ceremony. Use your smart phone, tablet or computer to show your graduate LIVE.  Officially dressed in their camp and gown find a fixed place in your home or backyard.  Create some sort of speaking podium and print out the school crest or logo and mount it to the front of the “podium”.  As the parent, announce the commencement ceremonies have begin and announce your son or daughter  as the Valedictorian of the day. After the speech, present your Graduate with a large custom poster as a diploma ( There is that .99 Cent Store / Dollar Tree again ).

Remember, all of this is about acknowledging the frustration that your son or daughter is feeling and showing that you care to do something about it!

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