The question of whether prom and graduation will occur has been on the forefront of high school seniors’ minds all over the country, especially at Pennridge High School. Amid the most horrific pandemic the world has seen in decades, students’ opinions on having these events are a somewhat mixed bag. However, most students believe that prom and graduation could be held successfully, as long as the proper safety guidelines are followed. Seniors view prom and graduation as a “rite of passage,” and many will undoubtedly be upset if they do not get to experience either in any way.

Senior prom is something that every student looks forward to throughout their entire high school career. With the threat of COVID taking prom away entirely, seniors are very passionately fighting for it to stay. In a recent survey, with 196 Pennridge seniors responding, 41.3% replied that they would be extremely upset if they could not have prom, and 31.1% said they would be very upset. With this staggering statistic, one has to think there must be some way to hold senior prom safely. Well, the class of 2021 has some ideas. The most popular thought is to hold prom outside, possibly on Helman Field. This alternative would provide airflow and allow for proper social distancing. When asked about the possibility of an outdoor prom, Jeffery Ramos, Class of 2021 President, says, “we are exploring options for fields to hold us, but most venues that have fields cannot support our class because of state restrictions.” So, it is not entirely out of the question. However, Ramos added that, “We are trying our best, but every lead we get ends up being a dead-end” in terms of finding a venue, given that most are operating at 33% capacity. A few students also suggested attendees could sign a waiver of some sort, “saying that they understand the risks of going to prom, and the school will not be held responsible for any sickness that is spread because of it.” In terms of precautions, Ramos says that, “Masks will definitely be a must. Hand sanitizer, of course, and we will try our best to keep some sort of social distancing. We are also hoping a portion of us will be vaccinated by then.” Things are looking well in terms of the senior class’s cooperation, as only a mere 2% of seniors said they would not follow given guidelines to attend their prom.

Seniors’ opinions on graduation are quite similar to prom. The big event that finally marks their entrance into adulthood may not occur this year, which has many students wondering how we, as a school, could go back to in-person learning five days a week, yet we can’t have a graduation. According to Mr. Hegen, the senior class principal, quite a few ideas for a safe and effective graduation are being tossed around: a cautious ceremony at Stabler Arena, a ceremony similar to last year’s at Helman Field, or an altogether non-traditional graduation. With the possibility of multiple ceremonies in question, Mr. Hegen said, “[the] plan right now is to graduate together, but it may change depending on everything.” When asked their opinion on having a traditional graduation ceremony, 79.9% of students replied that it somewhat matters to them. If the conventional ceremony at Stabler Arena were to occur, like the majority of students would prefer, everyone in the arena would have to be extremely mindful. Attendees would have to socially distance, sanitize their hands regularly, wear a mask correctly, avoid shaking hands or hugging, and all the graduates would have to sit the appropriate distance apart. And with the Class of 2021 being “one of the largest graduating classes Pennridge has seen,” that would be rather difficult. 

Though there is no guarantee that seniors will receive the graduation they’ve always dreamt of, there are still some fun events to look forward to. Senior celebration, senior awards night (outdoors), cap and gown photos with family, and the night before graduation festivities are all in the works, especially if graduation doesn’t go as planned. Mr. Hegen assured us that the most important message is, “Have no fear, we are going to make it the best we can”; he has support from many people behind him and has many plans and ideas beyond graduation.

All in all, the Class of 2021 will be heartbroken if prom and graduation are unable to come to fruition at all. But we can’t forget that the executive council, staff, and administration are looking into ways to close out the school year strong for seniors and ensure that all hope is most definitely not lost. So, wear your mask, wash your hands, and stay positive.