PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Spring 2020 was supposed to a season filled with celebrations as high school and college seniors crossed the most awaited finish line at the end of their school careers.
But no one could have predicted what was to come.
No one could have predicted that caps and gowns, graduation stages, and diplomas would go unworn, stages empty, and ceremonies unseen.
However, a number of schools in our area are making adjusted plans to celebrate their seniors.
Here is our list of the adjusted graduation plans amid the COVID-19 pandemic (If you don't see your school on the list and would like it added, email us at news@fox43.com):
ADAMS COUNTY
- Gettysburg College - Degrees will be presented by the college president on Sunday, May 17. Commencement has been postponed until October. For more information go to https://www.gettysburg.edu/commencement/
- Bermudian Springs High School - An in-person ceremony is planned for July 31 at 7 p.m. pending on social distancing guidelines. For more information, you can visit https://www.bermudian.org/covid-19
CENTRE COUNTY
- Penn State University - Virtual commencement ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, at 2:00 p.m. For more information go to https://www.commencement.psu.edu/
CUMBERLAND COUNTY
- Cumberland Perry Area Vocational Technical School- The school has tentatively scheduled an Awards Ceremony for June 30 at Christian Life Assembly in Camp Hill. For more information go to https://www.cpavts.org/
- Cumberland Valley High School- An in-person graduation will be on August For more information go to http://hs.cvschools.org/
- Carlisle High School -Graduation will be July 25 at 10 a.m. and will be held at Ken Millen Stadium, with a rain date of July 26 at 10 a.m. For more information, go to https://chs.carlisleschools.org/
- East Pennsboro Area High School graduation - A virtual graduation will take place on Friday, June 5 at 7:00 p.m. on YouTube. The link will be distributed beforehand. The school says should restrictions be relaxed leading up to June 5, then the district will explore a hybrid plan for graduation ceremonies. For more information go to https://www.epasd.org/
- Dickinson College - A virtual tribute is scheduled for Sunday, May 17. Commencement will be held at a later date that is yet to be determined. For more information go to https://www.dickinson.edu/homepage/361/commencement
- Messiah College - Commencement is scheduled for Saturday, October 24. For more information go to https://www.messiah.edu/commencement
- Shippensburg University - Virtual Senior Celebration Day is scheduled for Friday, May 8. Commencement is postponed and will be rescheduled at a later time. For more information go to https://www.ship.edu/events/graduation/commencement_ceremony/
- Shippensburg Area Senior High School - Graduation is set to be held on June 29 at 6:00 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Shippensburg. The rain date in June 30.
DAUPHIN COUNTY
- Harrisburg University - Virtual commencement ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, May 7, at 6:30 p.m. For more information go to https://harrisburgu.edu/commencement-partners-day/
- Harrisburg School District - In-person graduation ceremony has been moved to July 16, so long as social distancing guidelines allow. A decision will be made on July 3 on if an in-person ceremony will be held. The district is still finalizing alternate plans in case an in-person ceremony cannot be held.
- Millersburg Area High School -
LANCASTER COUNTY
- Elizabethtown College - Virtual commencement ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, May 16, at 11:00 a.m. For more information go to https://www.etown.edu/commencement/
- Franklin & Marshall College - Commencement is scheduled for Saturday, December 12, at 10:00 a.m. For more information go to https://www.fandm.edu/commencement
- Millersville University - Commencement has been postponed until fall, the date is yet to be determined. For more information go to https://www.millersville.edu/commencement/index.php
- Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology - Commencement has been postponed, the new date is yet to be determined. For more information go to https://stevenscollege.edu/coronavirus/
- Cocalico High School - On Saturday, May 30, in-person "individual" graduation ceremony with a photo opportunity in the stadium on the football field. Graduates will be given their diploma and graduation materials. On Tuesday, June 2, broadcast and stream of prerecorded baccalaureate at 7:00 p.m. and graduation ceremony at 8:00 p.m. with graduates in cap and gown photo slideshow. For more information go to https://chs.cocalico.org/
- Columbia High School- Graduation will be postponed until further notice with a potential summer ceremony. For more information go to https://www.columbiabsd.org/o/high-school
- Donegal High School- On May 31 is the virtual Baccalaureate ceremony at 7 p.m. The virtual commencement ceremony will be June 2 at 6:30 p.m. For more information go to http://dhs.donegalsd.org/
- Ephrata High School - On Friday, June 5, at 7:00 p.m. the graduation will be held in the Ephrata High School parking lot. For more information go to https://easdpa.org/schools/ephrata-high-school/
- Lampeter-Strasburg High School - On Friday, May 29, commencement will be a combination drive-through diploma presentation event and virtual ceremony. The times will be announced at a later date. For more information go to https://www.l-spioneers.org/Schools/L-S-High-School/
- Penn Manor Senior High School - Virtual commencement ceremony will "premiere" on Thursday, May 28. For more information go to https://highschool.pennmanor.net/
- Pequea Valley High School- The school's traditional graduation is still scheduled for May 28. The school is also exploring a commencement ceremony that combines aspects of both in-person and virtual, which would then be published later in video form. For more information go to https://www.pequeavalley.org/pvhs
- Octorara Junior-Senior High School - Graduation and baccalaureate ceremony will be held on Friday, July 31. Baccalaureate will begin at 5:30 p.m. and graduation will be held at 7:00 p.m. For more information go to https://www.octorara.k12.pa.us/osrhs
Solanco High School- The school is partnering with Rock Lititz to produce a virtual graduation on June 5. The school is then intending to hold a live graduation event in our stadium on July 31.
Warwick High School - During the first week of June, seniors will have the opportunity to have their name called and to walk across our stage to receive their diploma with their immediate family in attendance. This walk across the stage will be videotaped for each student, as will graduation speeches and other parts of the graduation ceremony. All parts will be put together by our school's technology staff to create a graduation video presentation for everyone to watch on June 9 on Blue Ridge Cable 11 at 6:30 p.m. For more information go to https://www.warwicksd.org/website/school.php?schoolid=0006
LEBANON COUNTY
- Lebanon Valley College - Virtual celebration ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, May 9. For more information go to https://www.lvc.edu/events/commencement/
- Northern Lebanon High School - Graduation will be held on June 4th as planned. What graduation will look like is still being determined.
YORK COUNTY
- York College - Virtual commencement ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, May 31, at 3:00 p.m. For more information go to https://www.ycp.edu/news-and-events/commencement/
- Kennard-Dale - Virtual ceremony will be held on May 29th at 7 p.m. A link will be on the district website. An in-person graduation will be held on July 31 at 7 p.m. if restrictions allow it. For more information, go to http://kdhs.sesdweb.net/
- York Catholic - An in-person graduation ceremony is tentatively scheduled for July 29, pending Pennsylvania re-opening guidelines.
- Dover Area School District - Graduation has been rescheduled for the morning of July 25. More details will be released when plans are finalized.
- West York Area School District - A Virtual ceremony will be held. Seniors at can choose a time slot the week of May 18 to go to the school and take part in a virtual ceremony. The ceremony will be recorded and each senior will get a flash drive with the finished product. In addition, the class of 2020 will be honored during Homecoming in the fall. For more information, visit: https://drive.google.com/file/d/11nN9UqctAU2YItVKMXjMxgeew9oo4icO/view