Senior graduation ceremonies have traditionally been held at Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Constitutional Hall. This year, the class of 2026 will experience an unexpected venue change. MCPS has determined that all graduations will take place at UMBC, leaving students in a state of shock, yet excited for the future.
In an email sent out to all parents, MCPS spokesperson Liliana López stated that the venue change was made to ensure accessibility for all families, a comfortable environment and lower costs due to recent negotiations with UMBC. The initial reaction from students was one of shock and confusion. “I was definitely shocked because it’s been a Wootton tradition to go to DAR for so long, and I feel like this was so unexpected,” senior Kathleen Nie said.
Over past years, students have become familiar with DAR Constitutional Hall as they’ve watched friends and family graduate. Students like senior Aava Nik have worked as Patriot Ambassadors, who work alongside teachers on the graduation committee to run and plan the graduation ceremony. “DAR held special meaning because many people in our class got to watch their siblings and friends graduate from there,” Nik said.
One of the main concerns that students have is the location of the venue, going from Washington, D.C., to the UMBC campus. DAR Constitutional Hall is also only 15 miles away from this school, whereas the UMBC Event Center is located 28 miles away. When discussing last year’s graduation, Nik said, “I liked the size of the venue and how it was in the middle of D.C., but I also really especially enjoyed the views, especially of the monuments.”
In addition to the sentimental value and history, DAR graduation ceremonies also had elements that students enjoyed, like the environment and the professionalism of the events. “Last year, the event was very classy and sophisticated, which I enjoyed, so I hope that this new venue can rise to those standards,” Nie said.
Another important aspect of a high school graduation is how memorable and emotionally exciting it is, not just through the venue itself but also the family members and friends that graduates share it with. According to the letter provided by spokesperson López, students will now be able to have full families attend the ceremony rather than just limited immediate family, like in previous years. “The best part about this venue change is definitely that more of my family can come and I’ll be able to celebrate this huge accomplishment with them without any limitations,” senior Carter Morton said.
Looking to the future, expectations are heightened for the class of 2026 ceremony as students are hoping that this venue can live up to the experience felt from previous graduations at DAR. “Even though I’ve never been to UMBC, I just hope that our ceremony is as big and visually pleasing as DAR, as well as not being isolated and scenic,” Nik said.
