O’Fallon Township High School Class of 2020 celebrated for resilience
After a challenging semester, O’Fallon Township High School’s guidance counselors wanted to make sure that seniors were celebrated at not only their virtual graduation ceremony, but in special moments too.
Tiffany Lugge, director of guidance at OTHS, said on their regular graduation date — Saturday, May 30 — the school presented a one-of-a-kind virtual ceremony, first shown at 10 a.m., which is now available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0nv3-GHrpk8
The link is also available on the OTHS website at www.oths.us and District 203 Facebook page.
The OTHS Class of 2020 included 581 seniors.
“We processed a lot of ideas. We wanted to celebrate this class, and I think we did,” Lugge said. “It was challenging because we had to follow the state directives, and they kept changing.”
They provided photo opportunities for students, encouraged “Glow Blue for Grads,” and many OTHS departments made their own tribute video, some with silly dance moves and special lyrics.
“We wanted some surprises the week of graduation. Not all departments could participate, but the ones who did came up with some really good videos,” she said.
Those tributes are posted on the OTHS Guidance Department Facebook page. The guidance counselors did a Tik Tok dance video.
“We are so happy to be a part of this amazing community,” Lugge said.
The corrected link to the virtual ceremony includes remarks by Superintendent Darcy Benway, the National Anthem sung by senior Hannah Bennion — the reigning Miss O’Fallon — and video of the tassel turning and hat tossing by senior Nevan Bickel.
That evening, the OTHS Smiley campus featured a “Glow Blue for Grads” with the building lit up blue in honor of the graduates and their special day.
“We encouraged students and families to decorate cars, drive-by, honk or get out and take pictures next to the balloons and banners — being mindful of social distancing,” Lugge said.
The community and businesses were also encouraged to Glow Blue for Grads the night of graduation by changing outdoor lights to blue, drape strands of blue holiday lights, decorate with bows, balloons and streamers, and display signs in windows or yards congratulating the graduates.
“We wanted to have a parade but that wasn’t possible, so we settled on the idea of lighting up the building. It turned into a really nice night,” she said. “The kids hung out, people parked cars. It was a really great opportunity for them to have some closure. I’m really happy we did that.”
The city had placed bows on downtown poles, which were made by Stephen Mueller Florist.
Graduate photo opportunities at Smiley
During the week of May 18, seniors and two members of their immediate family — parents, guardians, grandparents, who were over the age of 18 and staying at home together — were invited to the Smiley campus for graduate photo opportunities. Students were allowed to walk across the graduation stage in their cap and gown and have their photo taken. The family members accompanying them were allowed to hand the diploma over to the graduate.
They set up rules to follow — no person to person contact, school officials could not hand out their diplomas or any other items or shake hands. And masks were required for everyone in the building. Restrooms and water fountains were not available.
About 400 seniors chose to participate, Lugge said.
Corroborating on ideas
The professional photographers all donated photos to the seniors.
Any idea the faculty, staff or students had, they wanted to make sure it wasn’t cost-prohibitive, Lugge said. She held a couple Zoom meeting with some seniors to come up with ideas.
Two seniors set up an Instagram page devoted to all their classmates, Melanie Spinnie and Alena Ackerman.
“They are amazing. They highlighted hundreds of seniors,” Lugge said.
The Instagram handle is @oths_seniors2020.
Lugge lauds Class of 2020, misses interacting with them
“It’s been a challenging and exhausting semester,” said Lugge, who began as a guidance counselor at OTHS in 2007, then was named director in 2014. “The seniors had to navigate remote learning and the counselors had to make sure seniors met the state graduation requirements.
“A lot was thrown at them, at everybody, but it all worked out.”
She said not interacting with the students was tough, but they could see them at the photo opportunity and when they picked up diplomas Monday.
“We missed that,” she said.
The banner with all their names will remain at OTHS as a reminder of the Class of 2020, and what they had to go through. This is a class who was born around the time of 9-11 and graduating in a global pandemic.
“They were so gracious, and they handled it so well. They overcame a lot. I think most of them did a really good job. I really have a lot of respect for this class,” Lugge said.
This story was originally published June 1, 2020 at 11:18 AM.