BUTTE — Raven Homeschool graduates had a unique ceremony on top of the unprecedented times.
The small group of homeschool grads made a big noise with their vehicles on the Alaska Raceway Park’s official NASCAR oval track May 19, effectively wrapping up the Valley’s 2020 graduation season.
“We’re happy we had such a large area to do that,” assistant principal Kim Bergey said. “Alaska Raceway is the best.”
The ceremony was similar to Colony High School’s car parade less than a week prior on the same track, only on a much smaller scale. The smaller student body made it easier to zero in on each student’s story as they pulled up to the starting line for their diploma.
Raven used this event as their main graduation ceremony with speeches, music and everything else. Bergey said that she was satisfied with the turnout. She said this racetrack method was the best way to celebrate the student’s hard work face to face while remaining socially distant.
Student speaker Robyn Holbrook spoke on behalf of her class. She delivered her speech standing up through the sunroof of a small car.
“Let’s celebrate our accomplishments because this is the last day of our childhood and the first day we become something great,” Holbrook said.
Once Holbrook finished her speech, the car circled around to receive her diploma.
Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com