Drive-through diplomas for Republic graduates

The Republic High School’s class of 2020 will receive their high-school diplomas in a new and innovative way during this year’s graduation ceremony, according to a message posted on the school’s website by Tyler Overstreet, Republic High School principal.
Instead of the traditional seated ceremony, seniors will have a drive-through ceremony at Republic High School May 9. This will allow the district to recognize the seniors while also maintaining required social-distancing guidelines.
During the ceremony, the seniors and their families will drive to RHS. There, dressed in their caps and gowns, the seniors will be presented with their high school diplomas, in front of the Republic School Board and Republic High School administrators. Each student will have their name announced over the intercom, and free professional pictures will be taken of each student. RHS staff will also be present in their cars to cheer on each student.
For those unable to attend the ceremony, it will be live-streamed over the RHS Facebook page, as well as by Republic Tiger Sports and David Brazeal.
The graduation ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 9, beginning at 11 a.m., and students will be allowed to come to the parking lot in shifts based on their last names. Students with last names beginning with A-D will be able to receive their diplomas between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m.; E-K, 12-1 p.m.; L-R, 1-2 p.m. and S-Z, 2-3 p.m. In the event that weather doesn’t cooperate, the ceremony will be rescheduled for Tuesday, May 12 at 3 p.m.
While the district does have a traditional seated graduation ceremony scheduled for Aug. 1 at JQH Arena in Springfield, Overstreet said the district didn’t want to make the seniors wait that long to be recognized.
“We wanted to do something to recognize our seniors on the originally scheduled weekend of graduation,” he said.
In his message on the school website, Overstreet also wrote that not all students might be able to make the Aug. 1 ceremony.
“Many of our 2020 graduates will be unable to attend the traditional planned ceremony on August 1 due to their new college, military, or work responsibilities,” he stated. “The Drive-Through Graduation event gives us an opportunity to celebrate all 2020 graduates while still following social distancing guidelines and will take place prior to new responsibilities beginning for these students.”
Overstreet said many in the district are grateful for the efforts being made for the class of 2020.
“Feedback has been really good and people appreciate that we are trying to recognize as many seniors in as many ways as we can,” he said.
About 325 Republic High School seniors are set to graduate this year.

More information is available on the Republic High School webpage at www.republicschools.org/Domain/15. Scroll down the page to “Class of 2020 Related Events” and click on the blue hyperlink.