This morning, an email was sent out to the class of 2020 from Coppell High School Principal Laura Springer announcing the cancellation of the graduation ceremony due to COVID-19. The ceremony, which was scheduled for May 28 at 1 p.m. at the University of North Texas, is set to be conducted virtually at the same time and date.  

“I know that I had so looked forward to spending our last weeks of the school year together, as you are my first graduating class of seniors at CHS,” said Springer in her email to the class of 2020. “I want you to know that just because we are not having our planned graduation, it doesn’t mean we will not plan something for our seniors.”

According to the email, administration is also planning to host an in-person graduation during the summer. Details regarding the date and location will be sent out by email to seniors based on the status of stay-at-home orders. 

“Just going to the coliseum and having that experience is something that not just me, but everyone in the graduating class has looked forward to for four years,” CHS senior and valedictorian Prayaag Gupta said. “For my speech, I was kind of nervous, having to give it in front of everyone, and now it stings a little bit that I don’t get to. But I’m sure there’s going to be some sort of arrangement that’s going to end up happening.”

However, seniors are no strangers to the cancellation of year-end celebrations during this time. 

“It’s so sad because prom is already canceled, my top 5% banquet is canceled, a lot of sports banquets are already canceled,” CHS senior Cole Krautkramer said. “It’s another thing adding onto the stack of experiences that seniors are sadly having to miss out on.”

Although they may not be able to accept their physical high school diplomas for a few months, seniors are looking beyond their time at CHS to what becoming college freshmen during a pandemic may look like. 

“In all honesty, as the graduating class of 2020, a lot of us are more worried about what will happen next year going into college,” Krautkramer said. “High school is just one small piece of our entire lives. The fact that our orientations are getting canceled and our colleges are starting to cancel their football seasons and they’re starting to think about going to online classes for first semester, those are the things that are really starting to get to seniors right now.”

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