High school graduates receive their diplomas by crossing finish line at Daytona International Speedway
The seniors from Matanzas High School in Palm Coast, Fla., near Daytona Beach, received their diplomas on Sunday morning — one car at a time.
After their traditional high school graduation ceremony was canceled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the Flagler County School District knew they’d have to get a bit creative for their 2020 graduates. But that didn’t stop the school’s community from banding together to come up with a unique way to celebrate their accomplishments.
“When the pandemic hit, we pulled together a group of seniors, and started having conversations about how we ... make things happen for the senior class,” Matanzas High School principal Jeff Reaves told Yahoo Life. “Graduation was the biggest event, and so that was the goal — to make sure we had some sort of graduation.”
Reaves said his “amazing” students were determined to make a special ceremony happen, even if they couldn’t physically stand alongside each other.
“They wanted to do something together, and so we put together a team of students and staff and community members to come up with some solutions to make this possible,” said Reaves. “The speedway was one option.”
The iconic Daytona International Speedway was a natural pick, and Reaves said the entire class of 393 graduates was extremely grateful to celebrate their graduation there.
“The speedway really stepped up and provided this wonderful opportunity for our students,” he said of Daytona, which will also host another school’s ceremony on Sunday.
On Sunday, students climbed into their vehicles with their immediate family members and lined up around the race track to receive their diplomas one car at a time. After taking a victory lap around the famed track, the 2020 grads were able to step out of their vehicles and throw their white graduation caps in the air.
“Graduates, I will ask you to throw your caps into the air to celebration your graduation,” it was announced over the loudspeaker. “Are you ready?”
Reflecting on Sunday’s big event, Reaves said it was a wonderful culmination of their high school experiences.
“It was fabulous,” Reaves told Yahoo. “Everyone — the students, the families — [was] so grateful. It was very personal.”
In his address to students, Reaves encouraged them to “rise up” above current events plaguing the nation.
“I challenged them not to be paralyzed by current events. Challenged them to be the next greatest generation and lead our nation. Amidst a very tragic and difficult time, we encourage them to get started. They’re gonna make mistakes, but they’ll be OK,” he said. “Don’t allow current events to define you, but [it’s] how you handle them.”
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