The goal of this petition:

Change the BEHS Graduation Ceremony to the Bellevue East Football Field

• To keep family and friends safe during this pandemic
• To allow all immediate family to attend the ceremony
• For the rightful recognition of the Class of 2021

The Bellevue East Class of 2021 will always be one to remember. A strong group of students in need of honor and recognition. Despite the challenges this year has brought, these students have refrained from complaining and kept hope. They hoped that all of their hard work would pay off. They looked forward to the day students dream of since the first day of school- their graduation. Graduation is a time to bring together family and friends to celebrate the steps into adulthood. A chance to begin their new lives now that they are free to choose their paths. Graduation is a tradition that will persist through this pandemic and allow students to be recognized for their perseverance. 

Due to unknown and unexplained reasons, the BEHS Graduation Ceremony was changed from its original location on the football field to inside the gymnasium. Because of the pandemic, this causes a limited number of attendees. Each senior graduate is allowed only four guests. There are 364 students in the senior class, and that would cause 1,456 people to be crowded in the gym, not counting the staff working the event. This is an unsafe, unacceptable, and irresponsible number that could threaten the health of all attendees. Most grandparents and older relatives have been waiting to see us graduate. We can’t imagine walking across the stage knowing that we’ve put our family members at risk in such an enclosed space. 

Last year, the Class of 2020’s Graduation Ceremony took place on the football field. Students appreciated the space and how all of their relatives could attend. The football field allows for maximum seating along with room for social distancing. The Mayo Clinic says that it is vital to hold large events outdoors. In their article, they state that indoors the “COVID-19 virus can spread when a person is exposed to small droplets or aerosols that stay in the air for minutes to hours.” Whereas outdoors, there is enough ventilation to prevent others from being infected. The class of 2020’s ceremony was successful and did not encounter any problems. Students and their families could stay safe and appreciate this event. The class of 2021 wants a graduation ceremony that will allow them the same.

Our class of 2021 needs the support of students, family, staff, the community, and you to allow our graduation ceremony to recognize our hard work and dedication while practicing social distancing and allowing our family members to attend. This is one of the biggest events of our lives and we are ready for our work to pay off. Please, Bellevue Public Schools, allow us to have our graduation ceremony on our field so that our family can appreciate our work. We deserve to be honored on our field with a ceremony that acknowledges how special this class is and how we’ve continued to persevere through these difficult times.

Thank you,

The Bellevue East High School Senior Class