Graduating Seniors Celebrate Together

A pandemic necessity may have just birthed a new tradition for city schools.

Cars sporting balloons and painted with the names of 2020 New Haven Public Schools graduates moved slowly through Lighthouse Point Park on Thursday morning. High school teachers and administrators stood on the side of the ​“reverse parade” to cheer the seniors on before each school’s individual graduation ceremony.

“This is it. Our kids lost their prom and their senior trip. We want to make sure they feel the love,” said Michelle Cabaldon, the school culture leader at High School in the Community.

The parade was the idea of newly appointed superintendent Iline Tracey (pictured above with Mayor Justin Elicker), according to Assistant Superintendent Paul Whyte.

Tracey has spoken often in school board meetings about the importance of providing closure for seniors after a spring upended by the Covid-19 public health crisis.

Whyte said that he was happy with turnout from both the students and schools. He estimated that about half of the seniors drove through over the course of the parade.

“We may have built a new tradition,” Whyte said. ​“It’s a chance to celebrate the entire school community, supported by the mayor and city departments. It’s truly the whole city celebrating.”

Citywide Celebrations

When a graduate from a particular school appeared, teachers from that school would surround the car with cheers of ​“You did it!” Students waved and beamed at the adults they had not seen in person since schools closed in March.

The cheering from the sides of the road was just as loud when graduates from other schools drove by. The seniors and their families honked and waved to everyone on the road.

Around 11 a.m. a plane flew over the park with a banner that read ​“Congrats Class of 2020. Love, New Haven.” The plane made its way around the city after that.

“I’m so excited to be here to celebrate our seniors and really everybody who drives by. If you drive by, I’ll celebrate you,” said Cabaldon (pictured above).

Cabaldon then proved her point by leading her fellow High School in the Community staff members in cheers for New Haven Parks and Recreation Deputy Director William L. Dixon.

HSC Principal Matt Brown (center above) observed how happy his staff was to see each other and the students.

“This is about closure. They’ve meant so much to each other for the last four years,” Brown said.

The Center Of Attention

“I am extremely happy,” said Wilbur Cross High School senior Irvin Johnson, Jr. (pictured) after driving by his school’s tent.

His smile dimmed for a moment when he remembered how tough the past few months have been. He said that he is proud of making it through his spring semester and that he was able to keep his grades up during the pandemic.

“I am so excited. Wilbur Cross made today big for them. They went all out with flags and everything,” said Johnson’s mother, Keturah Johnson.

Carol Teel said that she may be more excited about graduation than Hill Regional Career High School senior Tayona Williams (pictured above). Teel explained that Williams is her oldest grandchild.

“I have been looking forward to graduation. You always look forward to things like that,” Teel said.

Williams said that she is proud of herself and her classmates for making it through distance learning.

“I’m happy doing something like this. Being at home got me really down,” Williams said.

Williams said that she found it hard to concentrate at home. An upside: she has learned to paint and do nails. She has not figured out her graduation nails yet but she is planning something bright, she said.

Williams’ principal, Zakia Parrish, lauded her students for overcoming so many obstacles before their graduation, from working extra hours in their jobs to coming down with Covid-19 themselves.

“They’ve shown so much strength and compassion to their classmates and the greater New Haven community,” Parrish said.

James Hillhouse High School senior Karina Sedeno (pictured above) said that she was embarrassed to be the center of so much attention.

“I’m nervous. I didn’t expect this to happen,” Sedeno said.

Sedeno acknowledged that she probably deserves the cheers. She made it through a spring of distance learning and will have proof of her fluency in Spanish and English stamped on her diploma.

Hillhouse Principal Glen Worthy said that his only disappointment with the parade is that more students did not come out. He estimated that a maximum of 20 of his own students drove through. It made him worry about attendance at the drive-through graduation ceremonies scheduled for next week, he said.

Whyte said that the administration has considered this problem and that families may not have cars to use in the drive-through ceremony. Whyte urged students to contact their schools to get rides to their ceremonies.

A few hours into the reverse parade, rain started over the park. Teachers and administrators started to pack up their tents and drive home.

City parks staff watched the cars depart. Jeremy Cooper (pictured above), who graduated from Hillhouse in 2008, said that he was a little jealous of this year’s seniors.

“I might have had my graduation but this is something we would have really enjoyed,” Cooper said.