As the 2020-2021 school year comes to an end, the class of 2021 says their final goodbye to West Senior High. Due to COVID, a lot of special events for seniors were not able to happen; luckily, the class of 2021 was able to have their graduation ceremony in person with friends and family. 

  On May 14, principal Joe Esper sent an email to all staff and students explaining the details of this year’s graduation. In years past, a normal West graduation takes place at Interlochen Center of Arts, but this year’s graduation took place at Turtle Creek Stadium due to the size of the graduation class. 

  “Turtle Creek Stadium was selected for our graduation as it provides a venue that our entire graduating class [roughly 400 students] can be together at a single ceremony with at least two family spectators,” Esper said. 

  At first, students were only able to give out two tickets to their family, but on June 1 the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) lifted some of the gathering restrictions. This allowed students to have ten tickets each. 

  Due to the graduation being at the stadium, West followed their COVID restrictions, meaning masks are not required for fully vaccinated students and guests. Although graduation didn’t look as it has in years in the past, we are happy to see our 2021 graduates having the opportunity to have a ceremony and say goodbye to their past and hello to a new beginning. Congratulations class of 2021!