ST. LOUIS — Saint Louis Public Schools announced it’ll host the first ever graduation ceremony at Busch Stadium.
“The recent announcement from Major League Baseball confirming a 2020 season cleared the way for more big news,” a press release from Saint Louis Public Schools said.
The Saint Louis Public Schools class of 2020 will graduate on July 30.
Saint Louis Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Kelvin R. Adams said seniors and families surveyed were strongly in favor of a traditional ceremony.
“We told our students in May to hold out for BIG, BIG news on graduation, but I am sure they didn’t realize it would be this big! Having missed out on other senior milestone events, we wanted to try to deliver a traditional graduation in the safest manner possible under these highly unusual circumstances,” said Dr. Adams. “In addition to the obvious appeal of graduating at Busch Stadium, the stadium offers an open-air experience with an added measure of safety and room for social distancing.”
Plans are still being finalized, according to the press release from Saint Louis Public Schools.
Dr. Adams said the intent is for the district’s 1,200-plus graduates to graduate on the same day with safety protocols in place.
“First and foremost, the safety of students, guests and event staff is our focus,” he said. “We are working with the City of St. Louis Department of Health and the Cardinals Special Events team to create an event that preserves the traditional elements of graduation, while observing health and safety guidelines in late July.”
“We are excited to help create a graduation experience that truly acknowledges the city’s students,” said Vicki Bryant, Vice President Event Services & Merchandising, St. Louis Cardinals. We understand the importance of celebrating great accomplishments and preserving time-honored traditions. Our congratulations go out to the students and families of the class of 2020!”
Saint Louis Public Schools said it has implemented a hotline number to help seniors with any questions they might have about the event.
Students will reserve spots for this event, as they have in the past.
“We will be communicating with our students and families often over the next few weeks, as we finalize details. So much will depend on circumstances beyond our control that I’m sure we will be revising and rewriting our plans all the way up to graduation day,” Dr. Adams explained.
OTHER LOCAL STORIES
