Soon after settling on a video ceremony as a way to honor seniors, members of the Upper Perkiomen graduation planning committee held a rare in-person meeting at the high school. During the week before Memorial Day, the members walked the

Felicia Shoup, center, is photographed by her parents - Jonathan and Tina - during Upper Perkiomen's virtual commencement ceremony.

gymnasium and the surrounding hallways.

            Dave Thomas, head of the school's video and film department, Principal Rob Carpenter, resource officer Jim McFadden, assistant principals Todd Amsler and Josh Miller, school secretary Michele Martin and head custodian Peter Kotecki marked the proposed location for a stage to utilize for a video graduation ceremony, chose a location for the camera tripod and plotted social distancing requirements on a sheet of paper.

            According to Thomas, they talked about making the event as smooth as possible for the students and their families.

Dave Thomas, head of Upper Perkiomen's  video and film department, signals to high  school principal Rob Carpenter during last  weeks virtual commencement recording.

            Over three days last week, approximately 240 graduates of the Class of 2020 participated in commencement. Each senior walked across a truncated stage with a school backdrop positioned immediately behind the free throw line at the far end of the gym, received a diploma cover and heard his or her name announced by Carpenter.

            "I liked what the district did," said Alyssa Schlichter, a senior from Pennsburg who participated on Thursday, June 4. "It's probably the best they could have done without putting everyone at risk. I'm glad I got to walk across a stage."

            Thomas, who recorded each student on digital video, dose not see any issues with the process. He said it went incredibly smoothly.  "Everyone gets their moment on TV," Thomas noted.

            In late April, concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic forced the district to cancel its traditional graduation ceremony. Carpenter said members of a student advisory committee, made up of at least 20

Tamia Robinson, left, receives her diploma  cover from Assistant Principal Josh Miller on  her way to the stage.

seniors, considered other options, including a Zoom graduation.

            However, the students decided to move forward with the plan to produce the video of each student walking across a stage edited together with speeches and other ceremonies. Thomas described it as a hybrid of a live school event and a video product.

            Carpenter said he borrowed the idea for a virtual video from Spring-Ford Superintendent Pat Nugent. Upper Perkiomen's graduation planning committee considered staging the event outside but opted to keep it indoors to avoid weather issues.

            "Most students liked the idea of being able to walk across a stage," Carpenter said.

Seniors in each homeroom, approximately 20 to 25 students, were assigned times to arrive at the high school in a 75-minute window. Each senior and two family members were greeted at the parking lot door.  From there, after checking in at tables inside the door and just inside the gymnasium, they waited in line to walk across the stage at locations specified by four orange cones.

Graduating seniors and their parent wait in a socially distanced line to  participate in the virtual commencement ceremony.

            "We had an on-deck circle and a spot for the student in the hole," said Thomas, adding that school officials copied the social distancing cues utilized by grocery stores.

            Amsler and Miller, each wearing black gowns and blue gloves, split time greeting the students waiting to cross the stage. Both asked the seniors for the proper pronunciation of their names and provided last-minute instructions. The banter helped the students deal with any nervousness, according to Amsler.

            All the seniors seem pretty excited and grateful," said Miller, who also reminded them to breathe. "I'm happy to see everyone."

            Within two days, Thomas was able to record approximately 60 seconds of each student. He said parents were especially appreciative of the opportunity to take photos from a few feet away.

            "Family doesn't usually get that close during a graduation ceremony," Thomas said.

            On Friday, June 5, the school hosted less than 10 repeat students from split families, according to Thomas. He said everyone embraced the moment as positive.

"It was a total team effort," Thomas said.

             Thomas has already begun editing the video of the students and the speeches, which are all completed. He said the goal is to create a final project to debut on the district's YouTube page at 8 p.m. on June 12. For this year, that is as close to live as possible.

            "All the video we shot looks very crisp," said Thomas, who worked as a producer, anchor, reporter and videographer in television for 11 years.