LYNN — Graduates of KIPP Academy in Lynn may not have walked across the stage in City Hall, as others have done in the past.
There may not have been any “Pomp and Circumstance.” But there was still plenty of joy as the 109 graduating students were part of a “drive-through” ceremony Wednesday.
Members of the Class of 2020 came to the Wheeler Street campus with their families, in shifts, to pick up their diplomas. They drove under a balloon arch, and were able to take pictures.
“It was really a joyful event,” said Torie Maher, development director for KIPP Massachusetts. “There was great music, lots of people cheering, there were signs in the windows overlooking the lot.
“The kids loved it,” she said. “There was a lot of dancing around and taking pictures. It was a really joyful experience in this crazy time.”
Maher said the Class of 2020 has held together well despite all the distractions, ranging from moving to new facilities in September to finishing out their year facing a pandemic.
“They’ve come together as a class really well,” she said. “They’ve all supported each other.”
Tuesday night, the class held a virtual awards night that included slide shows various students had put together. Thursday, there will be a more formal Zoom graduation ceremony with speeches from valedictorian Hermon Keysha, salutatorian Chanpichiny Ros, and class speaker Jonathan Caraballo.
