Graduation is one of the most important moments in every student’s high school experience.
Walking across a stage in front of parents and friends to receive a diploma, a process marking the next step in one’s life, should always be remembered.
Every high school graduation has one thing in common: students all wear caps and gowns to signify their transition into a new life. For Carlmont students, it’s no different.
Seniors begin the process by pre-ordering their caps and gowns.
“Seniors order the cap, gown, and tassel unit from a simple Google Form created by Herff Jones, the providing company, that asks for their height, weight, and gender. If they miss the order date, we order extras in bulk to ensure that all graduates get a cap and gown,” said ASB teacher Jim Kelly.
On May 16, seniors were able to pick up their pre-ordered caps and gowns in the quad.
“To help speed things along, other ASB members, senior class officers, and I helped with the distribution of the caps and gowns. Our primary job was to help seniors find their caps and gowns for them,” said senior class officer Brock Lotti.
Though the caps and gowns are standard, Carlmont provides seniors with a special feature, the customization of their caps.
“Students are able to customize their caps however they like, sometimes putting something funny on them or, in most cases, putting their college on them,” senior Eddie Vendrow said.
Although at lunch or after school on Wednesday was the primary day to pick up caps and gowns, some seniors may have missed this date due to other obligations or simply forgetting it. They are not out of luck.
“There are three pickup dates. If students missed this past Wednesday, they can pick up their caps and gowns right after the senior picnic on June 4 or graduation day itself on June 8,” Vendrow said.
Financial issues are not a problem in this process because everything is free for students.
“Students do not buy their caps and gowns. Herff Jones is the company that the district has contracted with to provide caps and gowns for all schools in the district,” Kelly said.
As graduation gets closer by the day, students still have two opportunities to pick up their caps and gowns. Once they do, they are prepared for the last day of their high school career and are ready to move on to the next chapter of their lives.