Graduation Ceremony Tools

This graduation ceremony "how-to" guide offers information and tools to help in planning high school graduation ceremonies.

Well before the high school graduation ceremony, you should address the following:

Graduation Ceremony Invitation
Include announcements and tickets, date, time, and location. Describe how to dress for graduation. High school graduation dress varies based on the season and region and is semi-formal wear. Warn of anticipated hot or cold weather, as well as attendance limitations.

Graduation Songs and Ceremony Music
Prepare the band and choir for traditional songs for high school graduation. The classic high school graduation music is Pomp and Circumstance. The graduation ceremony song is the school song, the national anthem, and sometimes a specific high school graduation song.

Graduation Ceremony Program
High school graduation programs announce the event order. Graduation ceremony programs vary between public and private schools.

High School Graduation Decorations
Display the school colors, school logo, and symbol. Include a podium, speaker system, seating, and an area for the processional to walk.

Graduation Cap and Gown Sets
Ordering in March or earlier usually results in a better price than ordering during the busy graduation season that runs from April to June. You will need to have each student measured for height and approximate weight.

Diplomas
These usually include a high school diploma cover, embossing, and a foil stamped symbol.

We finish up our ideas for high school graduation ceremonies with a list of things to do for the commencement of high school students. In other words, here are tips for the actual graduation from high school.

While this checklist is applicable to preparing a high school graduation list, most of these ideas are equally useful for organizing a kindergarten graduation ceremony.

Music, Songs, and the National Anthem
Generally, in addition to the school songs and "Pomp and Circumstance," the U.S. National Anthem is played. Men should remove their caps during the national anthem.

Faculty Commencement Speeches
Commencement ceremonies traditionally involve a large number of speeches. Principals, vice principals, deans, and sometimes faculty address the assembly during the ceremony.

Student Graduation Speech
Students are also represented in the list of speeches. Traditionally, at least one honors speech is given, usually by the valedictorian or summa cum laude student, and sometimes by a class president.

Keynote Graduation Speech
Usually a prestigious outsider will be invited to offer a keynote speech to the graduating class. Such individuals may be noted people from business, politics, science, journalism, law, and other fields. They may be an alumnus of the school, but that is not required.

Processional of Graduates
Graduates are called to the stage for the conferring of a degree and receipt of diploma. Generally, the procession is done by rows, with a cleared aisle for each side of the seating space.

Conferring of Diplomas
Students are handed their diploma (or a replacement diploma copy pending mailing of the real diploma), and generally it is appropriate to shake the hand of the individual handing out the diploma and offer a quiet thanks.

To make sure the correct diplomas are handed out, various procedures may be used to keep track of students, such as the handing in of note cards as students approach the staging area.

Conferring of Honorary Degrees
While not required, schools sometimes confer an honorary degree on important individuals who have some attachment to the school, or who offer a keynote address.

This information is courtesy of Academic Cap and Gown, www.academicapparel.com.