BY JIM MAHONEY & JOSH RESNEK
In one of the most pleasing and improbable scenes in the city’s history, an abbreviated but appropriate 2020 Everett High School Graduation took place Saturday inside the parking lots across the street from the Encore Boston Harbor by Lynde Street.
The event was attended by 100’s.
More than 400 diplomas out of 480 were handed out by EHS Principal Erick Naumann to graduates who arrived in caps and gowns, who showed up in their parents automobiles decorated with balloons and signs, alighted from them and hopped up to one of three deco- rated stages, where officials of the school department handed each of them their hard earned prize during this year of the Coronavirus.
This year’s high school graduates have been forced to socially distance, making traditional high school graduation events untenable in the present virus environment.
From year to year during the past three decades, EHS seniors were the recipients not just of their diplomas but with highly organized graduation exercises which included speeches, the award of prizes and scholarships, and private parties and cook- outs throughout the weekend with graduates from years before.
The 2020 graduation was more subdued and much less part of an organized celebration.
Many students, however, hooted and howled upon receiving their diplomas and held them up proudly for those lined up in a row of automobiles to see before hopping into a car and driving off to their future waving and cheering.
Many of the seniors who received their diploma, had their photograph taken, and then proceeded to a nearby area to collect gifts and flowers before leaving.
The event began at 11:00 a.m. and went on until 4:00 p.m.
A light rain and mist fell later into the proceeding and especially for the last 30 minutes of the graduation.
The event was streamed live by Everett Cable.
Everyone looked pretty happy, all things considered.
From nothing, something good came to be for this year’s proud graduates.