It’s a great day to be a Dillo! Prior to my career in education, I was a cabinet and furniture maker. I took pride in my work. One thing that was drilled into me by my mentors was to do things right the first time. They would tell me if I did not have time to do it right the first time, then it would be on my time to do it over until it was done right. The cost of time, effort and materials was painful when an error was made. Sometimes mistakes were made on bad information, and sometimes it was all on me. The old adage to measure twice and cut once is still sound advice.
Along with doing things right the first time, I do not like to crawdad. A crawdad propels itself by going backwards, so I do not like going back on something I say. If I say it, you should be able to count on it.
These comments are an attempt to try and prepare our community for the end of year ceremonies for the Class of 2020. We have already tried to plan for several graduation ceremonies. So far when we get a plan we like, the commissioner of education says no, and then the governor may say yes. So it has been difficult to have a definitive plan. We are also seeking advice from local health and civic officials. My other concern is that when we do announce our plan for graduation, social media activists will misinterpret our plans, and we will spend a lot of time putting out fires. So here is most of the plan:
So here is most of the plan:
By the time you read this article, senior banners will be displayed on downtown standards. Graduation will take place at 8 p.m. May 29th at Rogan Field. Each senior will be allowed four household tickets for physical on-site participation by local family members. No one under the age of 12 will be allowed at the ceremony. While events are being conducted at Rogan Field, the community will be invited to a drive-in theatre style ceremony. We are working on a location either at First Baptist Church parking lot or the Civic Center. There are logistical issues with feed back and sound delay that could present a problem. We will determine the best location for a quality presentation.
We have contracted with a professional videographer to create a presentation for the seniors that should be a chronicle for some incredible memories. The drive-in experience should be a great opportunity for our community to be a community for a little while.
The Ministerial Alliance is also working on a plan for the Baccalaureate Ceremony on May 24th, but details are still being worked on. Graduation may not be traditional, but it will be memorable. And the Class of 2020 will share a common bond with graduates from all over the world. More details will emerge, so hang in there, and go Dillos!