NW Mounties to Graduate 188 at Virtual Ceremonies

It was all in the family for this Northwest High School graduate during the virtual graduation on Thursday at NWHS.  Photo by Jeff Steers, JTV News.

By Jeff Steers
JTV News

(June 4, 2020 8:56 PM) It wasn’t the walk across the stage at a big auditorium or the football field, but Northwest High School seniors were still excited to receive his/her diploma on Thursday.

The district held day one of a virtual graduation ceremony in the cafeteria on Thursday.

Day two will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday.

The COVID-19 pandemic has area school scrambling for graduation ideas since crowds of more than 100 have not been approved by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Some have held “drive through” events while others are filming the walk across a stage for a presentation later in the year.

Local television station WILX-TV 10 filmed the virtual graduation and expects to broadcast the edited version on Saturday, June 13, at 10 a.m.

The school will graduate 188 seniors this year.

Students made appointments for their graduation ceremony, were greeted at the high school gymnasium by NW personnel, had an opportunity for a selfie before formal pictures.

Each student had his/her name read as they walked across the stage to receive a diploma present by parents, siblings, grandparents, or a friend. Formal photos were taken by Picture This Jackson and the entire process was filmed by WILX.

Students had the chance to roam the halls one more time through a maze of hallways.

A large NW cutout greeted students at the end of the journey for one last photo.

The school had eight valedictorians this year – Brooklynne Bevier, Elizabeth Bowler, Haylee Corser, Charis Cumings, Victoria Fex, Madison Grenke, Anya Hedrich, and Megan Moffitt. The salutatorian was Keara Hayes.