Virus doesn’t stop graduation ceremony

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, most 2020 graduates have been denied the usual graduation ceremonies celebrating their accomplishments.

A little thing like COVID-19 wasn’t going to stop Donn and Kelley Tarpley from celebrating graduation – especially when all three of their children were to earn their diplomas from college this year.

Instead, with a lot of ingenuity and help from family and friends, a graduation ceremony for Anna Kathleen, Alexandra Caroline and Andrew Charles Tarpley took place in their front yard Saturday evening.

Anna earned her degree in Engineering Graphics and Design Technology from Shelton State Community College. Alexandra, with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies, and Andrew, in Conservation and Biodiversity, are now Auburn University graduates.

Those passing by the Tarpley home were treated to a display of the graduates’ life-sized photos surrounded by decorations marking the occasion.

Except for being cut short by a brief rain, the ceremony had all the trappings of one that would have been held at the respective schools. A curtain of green and white for Shelton State and orange and blue for Auburn formed the backdrop to the front porch where a podium was set up for the commencement speakers. Flanking the porch were pedestals holding balloons in school colors and 2020 in gold Mylar.

The graduates even wore caps and gowns. The specially made stoles in school colors sported their names, their degrees and the year.

As “Pomp and Circumstance” played over a cell phone, the graduates processed along with walkway to their chairs. Mark Dollar gave the invocation, and the audience stood for the “National Anthem.”

Jim Pruitt was the Commencement speaker, but as Paige Lake presented the graduates with special awards, the rain began, forcing the cancellation of the presentation of gifts to the home schools. Instead, Pruitt and Amie Miller quickly handed out the diplomas, and as Nan Dollar read “Where the Sidewalk Ends,” the siblings went into their house and grabbed umbrellas.

They stood at the end of their sidewalk and waved to well-wishers who drove by, honking their horns.