With graduations at Texas Motor Speedway, Class of 2020 ends one race and starts another
When Texas Motor Speedway opened in 1996, it had one intent — to host some of the best NASCAR and IndyCar races in the country. But, so far, in the spring of 2020, the track is serving a different mission: To honor the high school graduating Class of 2020.
The reason for TMS hosting 31 high school graduations this year comes as school administrators and students continue to plan workarounds for holding ceremonies while still trying to practice safe measures amid concerns of spreading the novel coronavirus.
The TMS stands, which can seat well over 100,000 spectators, were silent Tuesday afternoon. Pit road was empty too. And the track, usually home to star drivers, was the temporary home to stars of a different sort. Graduating seniors, celebrating their day after more than a decade in school, moved from a bank of socially-distanced seats on the left side of the finish line to a bank of socially-distanced seats on the right side of the finish line after pausing for a photo and the traditional receipt of a diploma.
The Northwest Independent School District was the latest to hold its ceremonies, which included Steele Accelerated, Byron Nelson, Eaton and Northwest high schools.
“Metaphorically speaking, the Class of 2020 crossed the finish line today,” Byron Nelson’s Jaron DeBerry said. “It was one of a kind.”
Byron Nelson was supposed to be celebrating on the campus of the University of North Texas on Tuesday, but instead, more than 500 students walked across the line with a diploma in hand.
“At one point we thought it wasn’t going to happen,” Byron Nelson’s Anthony Innmon said. “Things were getting canceled, breaks extended and we didn’t go back to school. But it’s very fulfilling to have a graduation like this.”
School principal, Dr. Ron Myers, worked with other district administrators and officials to make sure the seniors would have an in-person ceremony.
“We looked at all the different options in the beginning. No one wanted a virtual graduation,” said Myers, who finished his sixth year at Byron Nelson. “We are very grateful that TMS and the Denton County schools came together to make this happen.”
Gov. Greg Abbott shut down schools for the remainder of the academic year in April and students haven’t been on campus since the middle of March.
However, the Texas Education Agency announced graduation guidelines on May 5, which included rules for outdoor graduations.
Flood gates opened as school districts began to set up new plans.
Safety and social distancing continued to be the main priority. Each student was given a school-branded mask and sat six feet apart on the race track.
Parents and families stayed in their cars inside a lot in front of the venue’s jumbotron, “Big Hoss” which is the world’s largest high-definition screen.
“Better than we expected,” said Terry Flickinger, whose daughter, Paige, was on the volleyball team and will be attending LSU in the fall. “This was well done and organized. We didn’t think graduation was going to happen, but it’s awesome and no trouble at all. We had a great view of the screen.”
“We’ll never forget this,” he said. “The students will never forget it. This is the COVID class.”
“It was a cool experience. We can say we’re graduates,” Byron Nelson’s Preston Wilson said. “It’s different than most, but very memorable.”
Atisa Vasquez also didn’t want a virtual graduation for her son, Isaac Soto. She didn’t know what to expect, but Vasquez and most parents left more than satisfied.
“I enjoyed it very much,” said Vasquez, who had 11 family members on Tuesday. “I thought it was going to take away from some of the graduation things, but I think it only added to the memory. I was hoping for a traditional ceremony, but this un-traditional one meant more to me. It worked out perfectly.”
