It has been a long and unprecedented school year and it is coming to a close. This Friday, May 28th, Chippewa Falls seniors are set to close out their high school careers.
When it comes time to compile the ten most momentous days in your life, graduating from high school is likely to be counted among them. Other significant days might include your wedding day, the day you learned to ride a bicycle, the days your children were born, and the day you retire from your career.
Graduating from high school fits somewhere in that list. High school graduation is a rite of passage in the United States. For the first eighteen years of life, children are expected to follow a predetermined path. But upon graduation, for the first time in their lives, these students are given the opportunity to make their own choices.
For some it’s a daunting moment, and it can be more than a little scary. But it’s also a moment to celebrate as it represents the beginning of an adult life.
Like the class of 2020, the 2021 class has had to endure social distancing and mask mandates due to the pandemic. These two classes are likely to be linked in history because of the unusual circumstances surrounding the close of their academic years.
Just as with 2020, the Chippewa Falls high school has organized a graduation processional. It’s an opportunity for parents to celebrate the achievement of their children in a way that brings the best balance of safety and public recognition.
Students and parents are scheduled to arrive at the Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds at 4:00PM. This gives them time to line up prior to the processional.
Vehicles are urged to enter the fairgrounds using the East gate located on State Street.
WOGO will feature a live broadcast of the processional starting at 5:30. Those that wish to listen at home can tune into AM 680/103.1 FM.
A senior celebration is scheduled at the fairgrounds which will take place from 9:00PM to midnight.
The school is also offering a live stream of the graduation processional which is accessible through YouTube. The link is available here.
It’s easy to get caught up in anxiety for the future, but it’s also important for students to allow themselves the opportunity to celebrate what they have achieved. Emotions are sure to run high, but graduation isn’t the end of important relationships, it only signifies a state of transition.
Each year’s graduating class represents the next set of valued contributors to our nation’s workforce. Due to the necessity of virtual learning, the 2021 class is well equipped to handle the increasingly digital communications technology that will only continue to serve as a critical element of the global marketplace.
Often, the media is far too critical of our young people. In the days leading up to graduation, please take the time to congratulate and celebrate our graduating seniors. The class of 2021 represents our community, and their future success is a representation of who we are. Everyone in Chippewa Falls and the surrounding area is proud of our seniors and we wish them the best of luck in the future!