High schools, universities making decisions on how to handle graduation amid COVID-19 outbreak

High school, college seniors may miss graduation milestones this year

High schools and colleges are starting to make decisions about how to handle graduation during the coronavirus pandemic.

WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - High schools and colleges are starting to make decisions about how to handle graduation.

Loudoun County Public Schools said Tuesday there will in-person ceremonies when it’s safe to hold them.

Ty Reichard, who’s graduating from Riverside High School in Leesburg, says it was welcome news.

“I thought it would be cool just to get one last chance to see everybody from school since since we really didn’t get to say our goodbyes at all,” said Reichard.

Since college graduations are much larger undertakings, some schools are doing them online, others are canceled. At George Washington University in D.C., commencement is postponed until May 2021.

“It definitely is an inconclusive end to a college experience,” said GWU senior Yasmeen Ally.

Ally said she understands why current protocols are necessary. For many college seniors, more pressing than graduation is finding a job.

“I would say that’s definitely the most overbearing burden on me right now,” said Ally. ”Finishing up college, obviously a lot of us have debt and loans to pay back and then entering the workforce, and it’s already very difficult to get a job, but obviously this makes it so much more difficult.”

Both classes of 2020 are marking milestones in uncertain times, wondering what the future holds.

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