Corbin, Williamsburg plan eventual in-person graduation ceremonies

The Class of 2020 at the three high schools in Whitley County may yet have their moment on stage in front of family and friends.

Corbin and Williamsburg officials have announced, that in addition to the planned virtual graduation ceremonies during which graduating seniors will receive their diplomas, traditional graduations will be held at a later date.

Corbin Schools Superintendent Dave Cox said the school is looking at either Aug. 16, or Oct. 18 at The Arena.

“We set it for one date before the kids got off to college, and the other when most colleges have fall break,” Cox said.

Cox said the date that is chosen will depend on when restrictions are lifted to permit the event to go forward.

In addition to the virtual graduation, Corbin will be holding a virtual Baccalaureate ceremony on May 23.

The event will be held in the parking lot at Immanuel Baptist Church, weather permitting.

“Due to the need to park cars safely to observe social distancing, the event will be limited to one car per graduate and family,” school officials stated.

The ceremony will be rebroadcast at noon on the Redhound Broadcasting System website.

The finished product of the 220 CHS graduations receiving their diplomas in the virtual graduation will be broadcast on May 24.

Williamsburg Superintendent Tim Melton said no date has been set yet, but officials are willing to select a date when the graduates will be available.

“We are going to do it in a time where folks are going to be there,” Melton said.

Melton said the plan is to hold it in the school gym as has been done with previous graduations.

Williamsburg’s virtual graduation is set for May 24.

Whitley County Schools Superintendent John Siler said just as officials have done with the virtual graduation, representatives of the graduating class will be asked for input. However, any date for a graduation ceremony would be speculative as local officials await approval from the state health department.

“We are all for doing something,” Siler said.

Whitley County’s finished graduation video will be published on May 23.