Graduation plans released
By Steve Swogetinsky
The Kemper Messenger
Kemper County High School will appear to hold its 2020 graduation services on May 22.
Sixty-two students are scheduled to receive their diplomas in the school gym. The program will be shown virtually on social media and the school's website.
Now, if you drive by the school gym that day, there probably won't be anyone there. The filming of the graduation will have been done earlier so the school district can be in compliance with the state's social distancing orders, put in place because of the Coronavirus Pandemic.
"It will appear that everyone will graduate at the same time," Kemper County superintendent Hilute Hudson said. "We wanted to have a traditional graduation program for our graduating seniors.
"But we can't put everyone in the gym at the same time because of COVID-19. We will be bringing the students in earlier. They will go through the line in waves of six or seven at a time to receive their diplomas. Each student will receive a certain amount of tickets and some family members will be there when they get their diploma."
Students will be informed of the date and time to be at the gym to participate in the making of the video.
"Afterwards, we will put it all together in one take and that's what we will show on social media at one time on May 22," Hudson said.
New varsity sports
Hudson discussed another matter. Starting the next school year, Kemper County High School will field a boys and girls soccer team in the winter, and a baseball team in the spring.
Terrance Steele has been hired to coach the baseball team while Betty Ann Casey will be the new soccer coach.
"We are very excited about this," Hudson said, "It will provide more opportunities for students to participate in one of our varsity sports. And to do that, they will have to make the grades to be eligible to play. That will give them more incentives to study hard and make good grades.
The Wildcats also have varsity sports teams in football, basketball, volleyball and track.