GRADUATION: JUNE 5, 2020

A crazy, wild and memorable day...

Its a tradition for the WHS seniors to scooter to the high school at 8 AM on the morning of graduation. 

They start at Western Market, head down Western Ave, and then onto Cherry. 

Colby and Rhett had stayed the night on the 4th and they all drove together. 

I didn't think we'd be in a big hurry, but Dave insisted we needed to get on our way. 

(This event was not school approved this year so the seniors couldn't stop at the high school, so they rode to the swimming pool). 

We parked on Cherry, there were lots of parents there,  and waited for Logan to fly by on his scooter. 

Once he passed us, we loaded up and drove to the swimming pool to pick him up. 

This was our only plan for this morning...we thought we'd come back as a family and drive thru to get his diploma and walk across the stage. 

But then we turned and he was loaded up in the back of this truck. 

We still don't know whose truck this is. 

We followed him (he hadn't drove to the start of scootering so we did know he'd need a ride back home), and made our way to the high school. 

This group was second in the car line to get their diplomas. 

Once at the high school he received a breakfast and they lined up to get their names called and pick up their diploma jacket. 

There was a line up of cars in the school parking lot and we parked on a side street and walked to the announcement area.  We were so lucky to be there, this part was a little disorganized.  

All of his friends graduating together!

With his diploma 

(Dad has the video of your name being announced)

Cheering when his friend Colby's name was announced. 

After this, the car would drive through a tunnel of teachers who were lined up cheering and waving. 

This was not our plan (that's why Logan's siblings weren't with us), but it was really fun and just the perfect way for this strange end of the year!

After they were through at the high school, we picked up Logan and went over to the Apple Bowl for a stage picture. 

We were told we had one minute on stage 

(this is where I wished we had Presley, Ry, and Harper with us)

There were lots of administrators and teachers here too and they didn't allow you to hang around the Apple Bowl due to social distancing, so parents took some quick pictures outside of the stadium.  

The virtual ceremony wasn't until 8 PM

Grandma and Papa Kreider drove up to watch and stay the night with us. 

Grandma and Papa Nelson also drove up to watch the ceremony with us. 

At Logan's request, we ordered Sumo and picked it up for dinner. 

I got a few texts showing "Graduate Logan" tats!  

Cristy's ankles!

The Sorensen boys celebrating our senior!

His picture wasn't on the screen for too long and this is the face he gave me...thats the look of a tired and ornery graduate!

Cristy texted me watching with Joe and Lanae

After we watched the ceremony.

There was some fireworks after the ceremony (we could see them from our deck).  Logan left to meet his friends for celebrating and pictures at Rec Park.  

This is the only picture another mom sent me from that night. 

(parents were there, her son showed her this)

Logan through the years.

Last day of elementary... 

 Last day of middle school...

Graduation Day...June 5, 2020

Leading up to Graduation 2020

For weeks and weeks, we were told graduation would be virtual only. 

I only found out that there would be something more after the principal reached out to the Grad Party Committee to see if we would help decorate the high school and stage area at the Apple Bowl for the drive thru graduation (our first talks of that was on a Zoom meeting the Friday before graduation, May 29th)

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The first thing I did once school was officially cancelled for the remainder of the year was to design and order senior yard signs.  

The grad committee was planning on buying these with our budget, but through e-mails with the WHS principal, the district ended up agreeing to buy one for each student. 

These were handed out in mid-May.

The Wenatchee community came together to "adopt" local seniors!

There was such a great outpouring of love and support for this class.

Logan's lady gave him gift cards, chips, gatorade, and a fun "Logan" soccer sticker. 

Grandma and Papa ordered your big heads (we didn't yet know how we'd use them, but we knew we would!)

And Cristy texted me that she was working on your name sign. Again, we didn't know how/when we'd use this, but we knew we'd find a way!

The Panther Booster Club purchased these banners for all the senior spring athletes.  

They were hung and lined the fence along the baseball field heading into the Apple Bowl. 

I wasn't exactly sure how to send out his graduation announcements. 

We ordered them last fall and they ended up having the location and time all wrong. 

Some people sent the announcements out, some people did photo cards, some people sent out an updated announcement.  

We sent out a photo card with the updated virtual graduation information and the original graduation announcement. 

(Dave and Logan rode the scooters all the way to the post office to mail them out)

I had ordered Logan face graduation tattoos and sent these out with candy and purple and gold balloons for people at home to have their own little graduation celebration. 

We were trying to make things memorable this year, even though it was all very non-traditional. 

Sunnyslope Seniors showed up for a picture outside of their elementary school. 

I listened to celebrities make commencement speeches.  

And we watched this on TV, hosted to LeBron James

Logan got some special mail this spring. 

(this letter came with all kinds of candy)

The school district had a painter come and paint each graduates name on the grass in front of the school.  We went by one night to find his name and take pictures.  

It was really cool.  

One last selfie in front of his high school. 

Logan's soccer team got together one last time before graduation. 

I wish I had found the above picture before we all got together (2016)

Our Town Toyota Center flashed all of the seniors names on the jumbo screen inside the arena. 

Of course, we couldn't gather inside TTC to watch it so they played it on Facebook and I watched at home and waited for Logan's name. 

Presley and I painted a sign for the seniors and hung it for the week leading up to graduation. 

Colby, Rhett, and Logan got a picture in front of it on June 4th, as they headed out for Senior Sunset down at Walla Walla Park.