ALAH Holds Drive-Thru Commencement Ceremony

Class of 2020. Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond High School commencement “drive-thru” ceremony was held on Thursday, May 14. Seniors Annie and Maddie Snyder, twin daughters of Doug and Malora Snyder of Atwood are pictured with Superintendent Shannon Cheek proudly displaying their diplomas.

The administration of ALAH Unit #305 has been working hard to make the 2020 graduation as normal as possible in an uncertain world.

On Tuesday, May 14, at set times throughout the day from 12:30-7:00 pm, Superintendent Shannon Cheek, Principal Steffanie Seegmiller, Assistant Principal/Athletic Director Jared Vanausdoll, Senior class sponsors Darcy Singer and Janelle Rafferty, along with school board members, met each senior at a make-shift stage set up in the Moultrie-Douglas County Fair Merchants Building. The stage was made to resemble the stage in the gymnasium with the Knight, a banner, flowers and school colors.

This year graduates and their parents arrived in their car and were ushered through the north end of the building, their name was announced during the playing of Pomp and Circumstances, walked across the stage and received a congratulations from Superintendent Cheek, then Principal Seegmiller with photo opportunities.

They exited the south end of the building and only the senior could get out of the vehicle.

While this wasn’t a traditional graduation ceremony, the seniors knew they were special to their now Alma Mater.

The graduates returned their gowns to the school on Monday, but the school will keep the gowns during the summer in case a traditional ceremony can be held sometime possibly in late July.

There were 78 ALAH seniors and all but five participated in the “graduation”, with one of those already graduating in December and departed for the military.

Each graduating senior will receive a flash drive of the entire drive-thru ceremony along with two pictures.

The valedictorian and salutatorian speeches were recorder prior to the ceremony.

A virtual Honors Night ceremony to honor the ALAH students with awards and scholarships was held on Monday, May 18 online and was able to be viewed on Facebook, You Tube and Roundtable TV. This information will appear in a special senior edition in this newspaper scheduled for June.

A special “thank you” to the school administration, board members, Arthur Park District and the Moultrie-Douglas County Fair Board for making this year’s graduation one for the history books.