As of 2025, students at Woodbridge High School are set to graduate this point forward on Google Meet. Staff and district administrators argue that “it’s been repetitive with all the years that have passed by. We feel it’s time to try something new.”
The class of 2025 aren’t the only ones to undergo this change, classes of 2026, 2027, and 2028 and forward are all graduating online when the day comes. Although graduation is being moved to online video calls, students are still required to wear graduation caps and gowns. Diplomas will be mailed to graduates a week after graduation ends.
“I had to go through something similar to this during quarantine, it was terrible. A special day ruined because of COVID,” said an anonymous student alumni from WHS.
Students around the building are arguing that this new change to graduation takes away the specialty about the day.
The Student Perspective
The Barron Perspective asked an anonymous senior of the class of 2025 a question regarding these matters.
BP (Barron Perspective): How do you feel about graduation going virtual?
Anonymous Student: It’s crazy, it makes no sense. How is something like this fair? Classes of the previous years graduated normally. Why did this new change have to start with us, more importantly how is it starting with us? A virtual graduation is going to make this special day a joke.
According to inside sources, the main reason this change was implemented was to not have to deal with the blazing heat anymore. Staff and district administrators argue that a virtual graduation wouldn’t be so different. Students would still get the acknowledgements for their successes, get their diploma, and still graduate as expected. Staff explain that the only difference and benefit would be that students and staff would get the comfort of graduation day at home.
When graduation day comes, students are expected to follow a strict regimen. Proper graduation day clothes must be worn, with WHS caps and gowns layered over. Students are also expected to make a presentable entrance with video cameras remaining on at all times when called down as the class of 2025, 2026, etc. And the rest scheduled for graduation will follow.
The Staff Perspective
The Barron Perspective got a quote from Vice Principal Mr. Mosko to see what he had to say regarding the state of matters.
Mr. Mosko: “Honestly it was just getting boring. Standing outside in the blazing heat of mid June for hours is something I’m not really looking forward to doing again. So we just decided to make things virtual.”
The Barron Perspective questions these moves made by the school district. But altogether, staff and students of the class of 2025 should expect and prepare for a virtual graduation this upcoming year.
