The last graduating class at Widdifield Secondary School is being celebrated this week.
Like many other North Bay area schools, the COVID-19 pandemic has put the traditional graduation celebration on hold and instead school and board officials have devised another creative social distancing way to celebrate the grads of 2020.
Performance Arts teacher Jocelyn Bell-Summersby says they'll have a drive-by ceremony in front of the school on Thursday.
"We absolutely are going to celebrate our students," Summersby told CKAT.
"Each student has a time that they are going to come up and a few teachers are allowed to there because we have to stick with appropriate numbers on the property at the time, they'll come up and receive their documentation and a picture, and celebrate all of their successes."
Bell believes this unique celebration is important for family members of graduates too.
"It is not just about you, the family the friends that have been behind you to get to this point they deserve to celebrate your 'awesomeness' as well," she said.
"This is the one chance that you really celebrate this day for the efforts they put in to helping you get there."
Bell-Summersby also says ceremonies are planned to celebrate the school when they can safely do so.
"The committees that we formed to have celebrations this year are still committed to be together to make those celebrations happen next year, or when it is safe for us all to celebrate together. We are going to have something, we are going to recognize the importance of Widdifield Secondary School in our history," she says.
See related: Wildcats roll out their final East-West roar
It's been a difficult year at Widdifield with moments to mark so many different final events such as the final Wildcats East-West along with football, basketball, volleyball and hockey teams playing their final games.
"2020 is a year no one will forget and it is definitely a year that our Widdfield grads, teachers and staff will never forget because of that as well," said Bell.
