Columbia High School will host Diploma Ceremonies for the Class of 2020 on Saturday, June 27 on the CHS football field. The plan, which had been developed by school administrators earlier this spring, became possible once New York State allowed outdoor, socially distanced graduation ceremonies of up to 150 people in attendance.

In order to maintain the safety of everyone involved, the school is planning to host 10 small ceremonies with 30 graduates, and their parents, at each event.

The first graduation ceremony is scheduled to start at 9:00 a.m. and each event is expected to run 30 minutes in duration. Families will receive a follow-up letter the week prior to graduation that will include the time of their child’s graduation ceremony, their parking location and a field map. The district is exploring an option to livestream the event for friends, relatives and community members who are unable to attend the event due to restrictions on large group gatherings. The school will pre-record speeches and combine this with the 10 ceremonies to provide each student with a full graduation video.

The district has been consulting with Questar BOCES and the Rensselaer County Health Department to ensure compliance with current public health guidelines.

Guidelines for Graduation Ceremony

• Ten individual ceremonies with 30 graduates, and their parents, at each event
• Masks must be worn by everyone in attendance at all times with the exception of the professional photographer station
• Only two parents/legal guardians and the graduate will be allowed on the campus
• Graduates will be assigned parking spaces in advance and must remain in the car until directed to enter the field
• Each ceremony will have a processional with the traditional graduation music
• Once you have entered the field, you will be directed to your family’s assigned seating. Upon entering the field, each graduate/family will be assigned a number, and parents/guardians will be asked to sit in the corresponding seats that are labeled with the graduate’s number. For both organizational purposes for the ceremony and to maintain proper social distancing protocols, it is imperative that you remain in those seats.
• Seats will be arranged in rows of 10 and separated every 5 yards to ensure social distancing
• After the Pledge of Allegiance, National Anthem and a brief welcome address, each graduate will have their name read aloud, walk across a stage on the football field and receive their diploma
• Each graduate will then have an individual photo taken at the photography station, and then they will be joined by their parents for a family photo (masks can be removed for the photos)
• Once the photo is taken, the graduate and their parents will exit the field and return to their car
• Graduates should depart campus immediately so the field can be prepared for the next group
• Hand sanitizing stations will be available upon entering the football field
• Seats and hand rails on the stage will be cleaned between each ceremony
• School staff will help direct traffic and serve as ushers
• East Greenbush Police Department will be present on campus to help ensure safety protocols are followed
• The ceremony may be watched live at the following link: https://egcsd.org/watchgraduation

FAQ: Graduation

When will students receive their cap and gowns?
Cap and gown distribution is scheduled for Friday, June 12 during locker cleanout at Columbia High School. Seniors will also be returning their chromebooks at this time.

Is there a graduation rehearsal?
No, there is no planned graduation rehearsal for this year’s ceremony.

Will students be receiving tickets for this year’s graduation?
Tickets will not be dispersed this year. Due to the state’s strict regulations for socially distanced graduation ceremonies, only the graduate and two parents/guardians are permitted on campus for this year’s diploma ceremony.

What is the length of the graduation ceremony?
Each ceremony will last approximately 30 minutes.

What should students wear under their robes?
Appropriate attire should be worn under the student’s gown. Light colored dress attire should be worn (dresses for the ladies and dress pants for the gentlemen). Students need to climb and descend stairs and appropriate footwear should be worn. Flip-flops are not appropriate and have caused students to fall down the stairs in past ceremonies.

What time do graduates and their parents need to be at Columbia High School for the graduation ceremony?
Graduates and their parents should arrive 15 minutes before the start of their assigned diploma ceremony. A letter will be sent to families the week prior to graduation.

What are the parking procedures?
Graduates will be assigned parking spaces in advance and must remain in the car until directed to enter the field.

When will students in the National Honors Society (NHS) receive their gold cords?
Students will receive their gold cords with their caps and gowns.

Graduation Ceremony Schedule

Diploma Ceremony 1 – 9:00 a.m.

1. Arianna Foley
2. Justin Forte
3. Justine Fournier
4. Madison Franklin
5. Rowan Fredericks
6. Thomas Freemantle
7. Nicholas Gabriel
8. Lauren Galkiewicz
9. Spencer Gallagher
10. Connor Garab and Kyle Garab
11. Dalton Garceau
12. Tricia Gardy
13. Caitlyn Garrigan
14. Andrew Gatchell
15. Terry Gattie
16. Emma Geisser
17. Hailey Genito
18. Kyle Gibson
19. Sebastian Giovannetti
20. Jacob Goodman
21. Alex Gore
22. Alaina Gosh
23. Breanna Graf
24. Abhinav Gudapati
25. Victoria Guenther
26. Christina Guilbo
27. Christian Gunn
28. Brett Hackel
29. Morgan Hahn
30. Owen Stefanko

Diploma Ceremony 2 – 9:45 a.m.

1. Lindsey Schanz
2. Tobey Seaburg
3. Tyler Seaburg
4. Blake Seaman
5. Connor See
6. Gavin Sessions
7. Janel Severson
8. Nidhi Shah
9. Aiden Sheehy
10. Christian Shepard
11. Jack Shufelt
12. Stefanie Simkins
13. Jacob Simpson
14. Harman Singh
15. Emma Slawson
16. Jacob Slovak
17. Brandon Smith
18. Noah Snyder
19. Robert Solivan
20. Kaiden Stevens
21. Taryn Stewart
22. Caden Stone
23. Makayla Stoutenburg
24. Joseph Tafur
25. Nina Tedeschi
26. Grace Templeton
27. Savannah Tenace
28. Mary Thaler
29. Ryan Thompson

Diploma Ceremony 3 – 10:30 a.m.

1. Sean Tierney
2. Noah Tiley
3. Alexandra Torelli
4. Richard Turoski
5. David Urena
6. Kaitlyn Velardi
7. Nicolas Venuti
8. Steven Vera
9. Lillia Walsh
10. Emma Walters
11. Audrey Warburton
12. Ben Waters
13. Emmarie Weeks
14. Lucinda Whipple
15. Alexis White
16. Bailey White
17. Karah Whitman
18. Tyer Williams
19. Ava Willis
20. Trinity Wilson
21. Robert Wiltsie
22. Jaycee Wojcik
23. Abigail Wyman
24. Ariana Wynne
25. Seana Yeates
26. Michael Yelle
27. Marisa Young
28. Betul Yucedal
29. Jenna Zurek
30. Darcy Zwanka

Diploma Ceremony 4 – 11:15 a.m.

1. Abagail Melaragno
2. Jacob Memole
3. Patrick Mertz
4. Chris Miazga
5. Noah Millan
6. Samantha Miller
7. Noah Monpoeho
8. Colin Morrow
9. Aden Mugrace
10. Brandon Murray
11. Ashley Murtagh
12. Brianna Myers
13. Robert Myers
14. Julia Neal
15. Sean Neeson
16. Ethan Nelson
17. Dominic Nova
18. Amy Novak
19. Alexis O’Brien
20. Madison Oathout
21. Oliver Olds
22. Abigale Paju
23. Arazelis Palacios
24. Amanda Palma
25. Montanna Palmer
26. Adam Pangburn
27. Justine Patricelli
28. Kirsten Paultre
29. Tyler Pearson
30. William Perkins

Diploma Ceremony 5 – 12:00 p.m.

1. Kaitlyn Hall
2. Matthew Hansen
3. Christopher Harris
4. Quinn Hartzell
5. Taylor Hatch***
6. Emily Hawkins
7. Sydney Helou
8. Patrick Hempstead
9. Tahkai Hodges
10. Brady Hoffman
11. Tyler Hoffman
12. Elise Holmedal
13. Connor Hurley
14. Serena Iacopelli
15. Irish Iquin
16. Evan Jones
17. Luz Jorge-Febrillet
18. Shruti Kamat
19. Joseph Karam
20. Caitlin Kelley
21. Ryan Kelson
22. Chris Kenna
23. Dylan Kenna
24. Ellen Kerber
25. Faristha Khan
26. Charleigh Kilgallon
27. Thomas Knowlton
28. Rachel Kobilca
29. Sam Kromer

Diploma Ceremony 6 – 4:30 p.m.

1. Philip Brown
2. Ryan Brown
3. Kelly Bryant
4. Nicole Bryant
5. Alexis Bulan
6. Marcus Bullock
7. Nathaniel Burek
8. Jamison Burke
9. Hayden Butterfield
10. Christian Calderon
11. Madison Campbell
12. Jake Carey
13. Grace Cashman
14. Hunter Cellery
15. James Chamberlin
16. Pranav Chauhan
17. Laura Christian
18. Isabella Cohen
19. Zachary Coler
20. Lindsey Conboy
21. Megan Conklin
22. Lindsey Connor
23. Ella Conway
24. Colton Cooney
25. Heather Cooper
26. Jarod Cramer
27. Matthew Cramer
28. Madison Crotty
29. Abby Cullett
30. Dylan Czajkowski

Diploma Ceremony 7 – 5:15 p.m.

1. Kyle Ackerman
2. Haley Aiken
3. Joseph Alamprese
4. Mason Albert
5. Nikkita Alcombright
6. Ryan Allen
7. Meaghan Almon
8. Ian Anderson
9. Ashley Angelo
10. Morgan Arensmeyer
11. Timothy Baker
12. Owen Ball
13. Julie Bariteau
14. Micaella Barrett
15. Katelyn Bauer
16. Grace Bayly
17. Paige Bencivenga
18. Talia Bennett
19. Carolyn Berry
20. Breanna Best
21. Joshua Bissaillon
22. Scott Blais
23. Benjamin Bodner
24. Alexis Bombard
25. Christian Borey
26. Jessica Borst
27. Kourtney Brand
28. Zoey Brandt
29. Logan Brisson
30. Grace Brody

Diploma Ceremony 8 – 6:00 p.m.

1. Michael D’Angelo
2. Calvin Dambrose
3. Chad Daniels
4. Gagan Darjee
5. Grace Davis
6. Filippa Dedorsson
7. Adrianna Defeo
8. Taylor Demers
9. Nicholas Demizio
10. Melody Diaz
11. Michael Digman
12. Jessica Dimenno
13. Ashley Doherty
14. Collin Dougherty
15. Katherine Duda
16. Tyler Dunham
17. Angelina Dwight
18. Haley Earing
19. Zachary Eldred
20. John Ely
21. Carmen Erno
22. Samantha Essenter
23. Austin Fahrenkopf
24. Morgan Fallon
25. Abigail Farnan
26. Juliana Fiacco
27. Briana Figgs
28. Sean Fila
29. Mya File
30. James Fish

Diploma Ceremony 9 – 6:45 p.m.

1. Gregory Phillips
2. Addison Phoenix
3. Kendra Phoenix
4. Logan Plowinske
5. Julia Poitras
6. Logan Poli
7. Andrew Powell
8. Alexander Pruett
9. Gabriella Pugliese
10. Harley Quinn
11. Liat Radetsky
12. Frank Rainville
13. Shayda Ramsammy
14. Nicholas Rappazzo
15. Abigail Raymond
16. Auria Redick
17. Anthony Rizzo
18. Preston Roberts
19. Jayden Rodriguez
20. Mariarosa Rodriguez
21. Savanna Roehr
22. Patrick Rohl
23. Kason Romanowski
24. Chesney Romer
25. Kyra Russo
26. Victoria Salvatore
27. Makenna Salway
28. Lyssandra Sanchez
29. Spencer Savage
30. Hannah Scarano

Diploma Ceremony 10 – 7:30 p.m.

1. Jack LaDue
2. Spencer Lahaie
3. Alicia Langenbach
4. Connor Leddick
5. Jackson Lentz
6. Isabelle Lewis
7. Olivia Lombardi
8. Schuyler Lorette
9. Emily-Julie Lyck
10. Maya MacDonald
11. Isabella Maguffin
12. Raymond Mahar
13. Lily Mahoney
14. Andrew Malak
15. Aidan Malia
16. Noelle Maloney
17. Joshua Mann
18. Zachary Mann
19. Elizabeth Manning
20. Marcus Marcella
21. Domenico Marotta
22. Maxwell Marte
23. Isobel McCarty
24. Christian McClay
25. Jacob McCormick
26. Garrett McDonald
27. Jasmine McDonald
28. Benjamin McHugh
29. Colleen McHugh
30. Jared Meisel