Under the bright lights at a brand new baseball stadium, more than 900 Duncanville High School seniors graduated at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Sat., June 20.
Under the bright lights at a brand new baseball stadium, more than 900 Duncanville High School seniors graduated at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Sat., June 20.
The ceremony, originally intended to be held indoors at the University of Texas at Arlington in May, had to be moved to an outdoor venue at a later date because of the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Students and parents socially distanced and wore masks but, despite some original doubts concerning the feasibility of an in-person ceremony, graduates were to celebrate the Class of 2020 with the traditions long-held by Duncanville High School.
Messages of encouragement and pride were shared by superintendent Dr. Marc Smith, school board president Cassandra Phillips, State Senator Royce West and Class of 2020 valedictorian Daniela Padron Castillo and salutatorian Julia Bowers.
Dr. Smith told the graduates, “I want to encourage you to be brave, be bold and be your best.”
This class, which demonstrated perseverance and resilience by finishing their senior year while learning at home, without prom and other end-of-school activities, cheered each other on and relished their graduation photos taken in the new ballpark – which has not even seen its first baseball game played because of COVID-19.
The Class of 2020 reported being offered more than $1.5 million in scholarships and total aid. A total of 97-percent of students submitted at least one college application, and one graduating senior, Precious Jones, earned her Associate of Science from Mountain View College.