LYNN – The city’s high schools celebrated their Class of 2020 Saturday with a record-breaking four socially-distanced ceremonies in a row.
Although less conventional than recent COVID-conscious celebrations held by neighboring towns of Peabody and Saugus, graduates of Lynn Classical, Lynn English, Lynn Vocational and Technical Institute, and Fecteau-Leary still appeared excited as they lined up single-file outside Manning Field, waiting for their turn to lap the track and receive their diplomas.
“It was a perfect day,” said Maura Durgin-Scully, principal at the Fecteau-Leary. “We couldn’t have asked for better weather.”
Scully estimated that around 50 percent of the graduates from all four schools took part.
“It was a tough end to a lot of good school careers,” said Scully, who helped plan the event. “But it was nice for the families. Each graduate was allowed to bring two guests, but there were others around the fences. And there were opportunities to take pictures with the superintendent.”
Despite the ceremony not being what they initially expected, several students said they were simply happy to finally celebrate their achievements after months of uncertainty following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Overall, I can’t imagine there was anyone who didn’t want to have this kind of a day,” said Tech principal Carissa Karakaedos. “To see the kids walk across the stage in their caps and gowns — there’s no other words to describe it except heartfelt, celebratory and earned.
“To see them again at that moment, gave you sort of that feeling of warm closure,” she said.
Students agreed.
“It was good,” said Classical’s Jesmil Levesque, who had attended her school’s graduation earlier that morning. “I didn’t like that we couldn’t do group pictures or move our tassels at the end, but it was better than (nothing).”
English graduate Jack Rodriguez added: “They made something good out of nothing.”
The event, which ran from 9 a.m. through 7 p.m., was approved by the Lynn Stadium Commission on the strict condition that the schools follow both state and local safety guidelines.
All students and attendees were required to wear face masks and were asked not to gather in large groups as they waited to walk.
“We are very excited to celebrate such an important milestone for the members of the class of 2020,” said Lynn Superintendent Patrick Tutweiler, who handed the graduates their diplomas as the schools’ principals announced their names. “We know they lost so much and we’re hopeful that this event, albeit different, allows them to recoup some of the celebration that they very much deserve.”
Through it all, however, Lynn’s class of 2020 proved just how resilient they could be.
“It feels a little different,” said English graduate Jarnel Guzman. “We didn’t get the normal experience, but the class of 2020, we’re different. It still feels like we went out with a bang.”
Guzman was joined by his friend, Malden Catholic graduate Joesnel Perez, who said he had just come from his own school’s celebration.
“We grew up being different and we ended up being different,” Perez said. “COVID couldn’t stop us.”
Guzman added: “It’s just the start of something big.”
Scully said that since diplomas had already been handed out at the end of the regular school year, graduates received a facsimile Saturday.
“We called it a ‘walk the stage event,'” she said. “The whole day was upbeat.”
Of the 49 graduates at Scully’s school, 31 were present. Others had already left for military service.
“There was a nice ceremony for them at City Hall,” she said.
Scully singled out both Rich Avery, site director at Manning and Fraser fields; and Lisa Nerich, assistant superintendent of parks and playgrounds for Lynn, and their crews for “doing a ton of legwork behind the scenes.
“I know, especially with my Fecteau-Leary students, these kids had to overcome a lot. It was a nice way to end all the hard work and time they put in.”
Karakaedos saluted the Lynn school administrators for dedicating the day to the ceremonies.
“For them to all come together for the students, it made you feel warm,” she said. “What I noticed the most were the smiles from family members. They had masks on, but you could see their cheeks.”
