We, as a class at BHS as well as other members of the Class of 2020 in other schools in Mercer County, have earned the right to have a proper graduation ceremony. Of course under the current circumstances, it is not feasible to have the traditional ceremony as it does not comply with local, state, and federal safety precautions. However, there are other alternatives and compromises that can and must be made with said safety precautions, county and state officials decisions, AND the members' input of the Class of 2020, which has not been taken into consideration. Every graduating class across the county has experienced losses and troubled times that no student should have to endure at such a young age. We demand the ability and right to stand together as a class and take this big step in life, whether it be in the short term having things such as a social distanced parade graduation, a drive-thru graduation, or a social distanced graduation at bigger facilities, such as Mitchell Stadium, Hunicutt Stadium, or similar locations. To this I ask how, when we as a class voted where to have our graduation before this pandemic, we had the opportunity to voice or input and make a decision as to where our graduation was to be held: at Mitchell Stadium (weather permitting or the BHS auditorium as a backup) or at the Brushfork Armory. The armory is most certainly out of the equation now I am sure, but I ask why we were able to have a difference of graduation before this time, but now we must all be in the same manner and format that graduation is to be taken place at every school in the county. Mercer County has decided, with to my knowledge no input from the senior class at BHS, that we will be filming our graduation and not able to have many guests attend. It is also degrading that this moment will not be shared with our class as a whole rather in small groups of 8-10 of us. This virtual method is much like what is to be done for the BHS Move Up Day. I do not wish to diminish the importance of Move Up Day or Prom or any other events of the like, but I do wish to show the importance of graduation to the Class of 2020. Move Up Day, Prom, and similar events are privileges that are never promised to us so it would be somewhat different and understandable for them to be taken away altogether, canceled, or commenced in a format such as a recorded video, whereas graduation IS a ceremony that IS fundamental in the lives of American students and IS promised to us for the efforts, time, and work that WE as a class have invested in. I initially asked the opinions of the BHS Top Ten on this topic and I know how we feel and where we stand on this pressing issue and decision. Taking into consideration the opinions of the majority of the class of 2020, I urge us to stand together as a unified class so that we may ALL be recognized, rewarded, and respected as we are due and have earned! I am fully convinced that we can overcome this obstacle as long as we stand strong together for our own sake as well as those who deserve to be recognized alongside us although not present physically! We as the Class of 2020 have no limits in what we can and will accomplish as long as we stand together to make sure the right thing is done! - Ethan Harvey, Valedictorian of BHS class of 2020