With the 2016-2017 school year coming to an end, the graduating seniors are preparing for commemorative and commencement ceremonies.

“Commemorative ceremony is usually a day or two before commencement and celebrates the senior class and looking back over the years in high school,” Dean of Student Activities Lynne Nolan said. “Commencement is graduation. It’s just a fancy way of saying that.”

Most of the time, these two events are  mistaken for the same event, although Commemorative takes place before graduation.

“We will have some musical acts, some singing, some people will be telling poetry or speeches, so our role is to set something up that celebrates the entire senior year by having the students who represent the class perform,” Senior Class Council sponsor Jeromy Bentley said.

Although he wasn’t able to reveal who would be performing at the event, Bentley said that there will be a senior video, which will consist of a collage of pictures and videos of the senior class playing. Hawk TV advisor Katie Long-Piper is in charge of putting the video together. 

“We get to announce the senior gifts this year, and there was lots of money to go around, so there will be some gifts given out that will be pretty cool,” Bentley said.

Bentley would not disclose anything about performances at the Commemorative Ceremony to keep them a surprise. He did say the speakers at the ceremony will include senior Reed Hersma, giving opening remarks, and senior David McCowin, giving the honors speech.

“No awards are also given, everybody walks up and gets their diploma,” Nolan said. “It’s just about people being celebrated that they made it.”

Nolan warned seniors that they must be well-behaved until graduation and must pay any remaining  fees, which can be paid up until the night of graduation, otherwise they will not receive their diplomas.

“It’s going to be an amazing event, I can’t wait to graduate,” senior Adam Kainrath said. “I hope that all the work they are putting in for us pays off.”