As a quarter of the school year has already flown by, the senior class has started to envision their goals beyond their high school years. 

However, time is not the only thing that will be flying by this year; seniors will finally be able to see their graduation caps soar up in the air when they walk down the stage and get handed their diplomas this upcoming May. 

Over the last two years, there was uncertainty of whether or not a graduation ceremony would even happen because of the pandemic. The graduating class of 2020 did not have an in-person ceremony, and last year’s graduating class fell short of the typical venue at DAR Constitutional Hall in order to accommodate health guidelines and precautions. For this year, Senior Planning and school administration have been working to make the graduation traditions, as well as the ceremony itself, happen safely.  

Member of Senior Planning Ethan Fayne said he believes that it is necessary to include tassels and regalia because they “have been traditions that have been a part of the Wootton community for a plethora of years now,” Fayne said.

Fayne said he believes these items that students will wear will showcase the hard work that the current senior class has done up until the milestone of graduation. “I think that celebratory traditions like these should continue to stay in place as they are cherished by seniors and their families,” Fayne said. 

Last week, Senior Planning members met with Principal Kim Boldon to discuss regalia at graduation. “Ms. Boldon was able to inform the Senior Planners that attended the meeting that it was all miscommunication. The tassels, the cords and everything will still be a thing, but it was miscommunication that we wouldn’t be receiving them. Thus, we still will be receiving the cords, the tassels, everything that, generally, graduation has in our graduation,” Safai said. 

Safai clarified that the members of the different honors societies will receive the banner-like stoles and sashes. Other societies and special programs will be represented at graduation as members will wear the designated cords. Students may be eligible to earn pins if they are a part of signature programs. 

Additionally, graduates may be recognized for exceptional service in senior year by having documented at least 260 of service by the first Friday of April. The Certificate of Meritorious Service will be received by the MSDE and MCPS, and a purple tassel to wear at graduation services will be included with that. 

Honorary decor, such as the aforementioned examples, are all guaranteed to be a part of the graduation experience. However, the specifics of what each society decides to supply graduates is “all yet to be decided,” Safai said.