The Kokomo High School Class of 2008 will continue its graduation ceremony Friday night.
Dave Barnes, Kokomo-Center School community relations consultant, said the ceremony will resume at the point where the original ceremony was stopped because of inclement weather, at 7:30 p.m. in Memorial Gym.
Principal Harold Canady said the students have earned the recognition after 12 years of hard work.
“We want our graduates to have the opportunity to walk across that stage, receive that handshake and have that photo taken in front of the flags,” he said.
Superintendent Thomas Little Jr. said he’s been told this is the first time Kokomo High School’s graduation has been canceled because of weather.
He said school officials had monitored the weather all day May 30, and had planned to reschedule the ceremony on May 31 if there was an imminent tornado warning. Instead, the ceremony was canceled when a tornado warning was announced shortly after the ceremony started.
Little said school board members directed Canady and himself to reschedule the ceremony Monday. Little commended Canady and the high school staff for their efforts to have another graduation.
“The focus of maintaining the traditions within the Kokomo High School graduation ceremony is valued and important to the history of Kokomo High School,” the superintendent said.
Graduates Lisa Beckwith and Matthew Wesche were among those who had walked across the stage as academic honor graduates, but both believed rescheduling the ceremony was a good decision.
Beckwith said all the graduates deserve to walk.
“I wanted to see all my friends graduate. I had a lot who were very upset,” she said.
She does not know if she will be able to attend Friday, because she’s having surgery on her ankle this week.
Wesche plans to attend the ceremony, even though he’s already crossed the stage.
“I was one of the first who got to go. I felt bad because I got to and [the other graduates] didn’t. I think all the kids deserve it,” he explained.
He said his mother was especially disappointed the ceremony had been canceled, because she teaches in the Kokomo-Center Schools and “she’s seen a lot of them grow up.”
Krista Jarvis said as an only child, it was especially important for her that her parents get to see her receive her diploma.
“I worked really hard in school all those 12 years and I think a lot of students felt cheated and upset,” she said.
Amanda Kasem also was glad the ceremony will be continued and plans to receive her diploma on stage.
“I was disappointed. I was actually pretty angry.”
She worries, though, that a continued ceremony won’t be as meaningful.
“I feel the vibe’s been ruined. I don’t know that it will make a big difference,” she said. “It was an experience I didn’t get to have. It’s better to do it than to sit home and sulk.”
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