It’s that time of year when high school seniors don caps and gowns and get ready to toss their mortar boards to celebrate a major milestone.
Last year, the coronavirus pandemic caused many schools to do away with or delay ceremonies and to move the programs from indoor to outdoor venues. This year, most local ceremonies are set for May and the locations are a mix of indoor and outdoor venues.
Kicking off the schedule of local ceremonies is Madison-Ridgeland Academy, which has planned graduation on Friday, May 14 at 7 p.m. at Trustmark Park in Pearl. Jack Laws is the valedictorian, and Lydia Snopek, the salutatorian, for the Class of 2021, which has 79 seniors.
Jackson Prep’s graduation is scheduled on Sunday, May 16 at 7 p.m. at Trustmark Park. The Fortenberry Theatre in the Centre for Arts and Leadership on the Prep campus will be the location in case of inclement weather.
The Class of 2021 at Prep has 137 members. The valedictorian and salutatorian at Jackson Prep will be announced during class day on May 10.
Jackson Academy has scheduled graduation on Thursday, May 20 at 7 p.m. at The Brickyard outdoor stadium on the JA campus. Priyadarshini “Priya” Ray is the valedictorian, and Andrew “Drew” Antici is the salutatorian for the Class of 2021, which has 116 members.
Dr. Calvin Thigpen, a 1994 graduate of JA who is an associate professor in the division of general medicine and hypertension and program director of the internal medicine residency program at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, spoke to the JA Class of 2021 during its awards night dinner on April 26 at The South. Thigpen is the second recipient of JA’s Distinguished Alumni of the Year award and tradition calls for the recipient to address seniors at the awards dinner.
New Summit School has scheduled graduation on May 20 in the afternoon on campus.
Madison Central High School, Ridgeland High School and Germantown High School will hold graduation on May 22 at the Mississippi Coliseum. The ceremony for Madison Central students is planned at 10 a.m., Ridgeland High School at 2:30 p.m. and Germantown High School at 6-7 p.m.
Madison Central expect to have 409 graduates; Ridgeland, 203 graduates; and Germantown, 285 graduates. The valedictorian and salutatorian for each high school will not be announced until after final exams.
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School has scheduled Upper School graduation on Monday, May 24 at 9 a.m. outdoors beside Lake Sherwood Wise on its Ridgeland campus. Baccalaureate is scheduled on Sunday, May 23 at 5:30 p.m. in the Athletics and Recreation Center (ARC). To accommodate more people, the baccalaureate is being held at the ARC instead of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral, where it has been traditionally held.
St. Andrew’s, which will have 88 graduates, does not name a valedictorian and salutatorian but recognizes top students for academic achievement, service and leadership. The Trustees’ Medal for Academic Achievement is awarded for top grades. That award, along with the Saints Medal for Unselfish Service and the Adele Franks Medal for Leadership, will be announced at honors day.
St. Joseph Catholic School has scheduled graduation for its 63 seniors on Wednesday, May 26 at 7 p.m. on the St. Joe football field, weather permitting. Senior mass is scheduled on May 17 at the school. A valedictorian and salutatorian will be named after final exams.
Murrah High School seniors will graduate on June 1 at the Mississippi Coliseum. Each graduate is assigned to a graduation group and each group is assigned a time (either 8:30-9:30 a.m., 10-11 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.). Each graduate will receive four tickets to the ceremony.
Murrah has 289 potential graduates. Murrah’s Top 10 students, which includes the salutatorian and valedictorian, will be announced during the districtwide program,“Salute the Scholars,” on May 19 at 6 p.m. at Kirksey Middle School in Jackson.
The Education Center School will have individual graduation ceremonies for each of its 32 seniors on May 20. Graduates will enter the Education Center School with close family and friends at the assigned time, have an individual and family portrait session with a photographer , go through a brief ceremony and exit the building to join other family and friends that have gathered to celebrate.
