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Vernon  

Drive-in restrictions kibosh Enderby, other grad ceremonies

Grad back to drawing board

An order limiting Enderby's Starlight Drive-In to just 50 vehicles has kiboshed the local high school's grad plans.

Due to social distancing concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic, schools everywhere are having to reimagine their graduation plans this summer.

For Enderby's A.L. Fortune Secondary, that meant having a motorized grad ceremony at the drive-in.

But, with a grad class of 36, teachers, staff and families, there was no way to make the event work with just 50 cars, says principal Scott Anderson.

"We had been planning to do our grad there, but now we're back to the drawing board," said Anderson.

The original plan was to have a "physically distanced" ceremony at the school with just six grads at a time walking through and receiving their diplomas while a film crew recorded the event and edited it together to be shown at the drive-in for all to enjoy.

"We were going to show it at the Starlight on June 9, but that's not going to happen now," said Anderson, noting the provincial restrictions also affect grads planned at the Starlight by Pleasant Valley Secondary in Armstrong and Eagle River Secondary in Salmon Arm.

"We'll still make the movie and would still really like to do some kind of event for the grads.

"The drive-in would have been the perfect venue, and they have been fantastic in helping us out," said Anderson.

The Starlight had been limiting entry to 100 vehicles, but an order from provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has now cut that to 50.



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