Some pomp amid the circumstances for Libertyville High grads

It may have come a couple of months late, but there was a real effort for some pomp amid the circumstances Sunday for the Libertyville High School Class of 2020.

After holding out for every opportunity to celebrate an in-person graduation ceremony, the school instead chose to conduct a drive-through event Sunday.

Families drove their vehicles through a decorated parking lot, complete with “pyrotechnics” and music, and then graduates were able to get out and stride across a stage to receive their diploma from Principal Tom Koulentes. He kept his social distance by handing out diplomas with an extended grabber.

“We pushed it back as far as we could, holding out hope that maybe things would go our way and we'd be able to bring all our kids together one last time as a class,” Koulentes said.

When school leaders realized it wouldn't be possible, they created a virtual graduation ceremony that was posted on YouTube earlier Sunday.

“But we wanted to have in-person touch to it, so that's where the drive-through portion came in,” Koulentes said.

“This senior class was such an extraordinary group of kids and we knew they wouldn't be able to make the same memories that other classes did, so we wanted to give them the chance to have their own unique ceremony that no one else has had,” he added.

For graduate Olivia Seitz and her family, it definitely was a unique experience. She is the sixth sibling in her family to graduate from Libertyville High.

“After watching all my siblings have a traditional (graduation), they still found a way to make this one special,” she said.