Midland Valley High Valedictorian Parker Welsh reminded his classmates Thursday that their graduation ceremony also was their first reunion.
Many of Midland Valley 258 seniors had not seen one another since March 16 when schools closed and classes went online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But they were all together Thursday morning sitting six-feet apart in their Mustang blue caps and gowns on the football field to follow social distancing guidelines. Their families sat two-by-two spaced out in the stands.
Welsh, who is from Graniteville, said he had expected to have a virtual or drive-in ceremony but as glad to have a “real graduation,” especially on Midland Valley High's football field, the L.L. Willis Stadium.
“I played football and soccer, and all my games were on this field,” he said. “I've made so many friendships on this field. I've had so many victories on this field. It's just awesome that we get to be here one last time at Midland Valley.”
Welsh will attend Clemson University to study civil engineering in the fall and said he will miss Midland Valley.
“I'm definitely going to miss sports and seeing my friends and my teammates and my coaches and my wonderful teachers,” he said. 'It's going to be tough to move on, but I'll definitely always come back.”
Salutatorian Mary Swygert from Warrenville said graduating in the Midland Valley's football stadium had special meaning for her, too.
“We've had so many things happen. To be here where we started means that much more to me,” she said.
Swygert said her message to her classmates would be to be true to themselves.
“Take what you've learned for the past four years and use that to progress in life. Also believe in yourself as an individual and try not to hide within the crowd,” she said.
Swygert, who was the Rifle Team Commander in NJROTC, will attend the University of New Haven in Connecticut to study criminal justice and forensic science with a goal of joining the Military Police.
The ceremony ended with the traditional cap toss, applause and cheers from families and faculty and a new element not possible in USC Aiken's Convocation Center where the school district has held all high school graduations for many years: the overflow crowd in the parking lot on the hill above the field honked their horns to congratulate the class of 2020.
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