From his own stage in the backyard of grandparents Jim and Nancy Honer’s Creswell home, 5Cs kindergarten grad Blakely Adler, son of Zach and Carmen Adler, addresses his audience of family members. CARMEN HONER/PHOTO
Although Creswell Christian Child Care Center (5Cs) never completely shut down due to COVID-19, being granted an emergency license for 15 children whose parents were essential workers and needed childcare, this year’s kindergartners had to forego their usual spring concert and graduation ceremony in favor of an innovative “grad bag” and family-only celebrations.
“When the maximum number of people (allowed to gather) was reduced to 10, we knew we couldn’t have a ‘regular’ graduation – so we offered our graduates ‘Graduation in a Bag,’” said 5Cs director Deb Hisey.
In that bag, teacher Shari Mitchell’s kindergartners– Blakely Adler, Henry Lake, Carson Blake LaRoe, Lilyana Presley, Ryder Thomas-Foreman and Kaycie Willhite – received a graduation cap and 2020 gold tassel, white graduation gown, their kindergarten diploma, decorations, bubbles and a printed program with their name in it.
There were also ideas for planning individual patio or backyard graduation ceremonies. Suggestions included saying the Pledge of Allegiance, singing a few songs (included), parents saying some kind words about their child, and the kindergartner being handed their diploma by a family member and turning their tassel.
One such celebration, held for Blakely Adler in grandparents Jim and Nancy Honer’s backyard, proved fun and memorable for parents Zach and Carmen Adler and the rest of his family. Grandpa Jim handed Blakely his diploma and Grandma Nancy – who also “took over his teaching during distance learning from home,” Carmen said – planned the party.
Henry Lake proudly wears the cap and gown marking his achievement as a member of 5Cs’ kindergarten class of 2020. BECKY LAKE/PHOTO
Hisey praised her “incredible” staff, who rallied to work this spring under altered hours and new restrictions to continue meeting the needs of kindergartners and other 5Cs children; many, she said, even called their students or mailed out fun packets for them to complete.
“I cannot tell you how important these teachers are, to not only the children but to me. They care so much, especially about the children that we didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to,” Hisey said.
And, while Class of 2020 kindergartners were unable to mark their graduation with a concert and their school friends, the lovely, low-key celebrations enjoyed instead will create pleasant family memories of their own – perhaps even more lasting for their uniqueness.
“We missed our traditional program, but everything that is different doesn’t need to be bad,” Hisey said. “I’m sure we will be talking about this graduation for a while!”
