Changes are expected for this year’s graduation.  The Class of 2024 will graduate at the fairgrounds on June 7 at 8 p.m. instead of the Loftin Stadium which has been the home of Tiger graduations for many years.  Rain delays have pushed back the completion date for the new construction at the stadium causing administration to seek out another venue.

Principal Waltman said the school had to move graduation to the fairgrounds because construction at Loftin Stadium has been delayed over the rain during winter. During the times of November to April, the rain had pushed them way back behind schedule.  The graduation ceremony itself will remain the same despite the new location.

Some changes the administration had to take into account was seating and the dirt.  They had to rent more seats so they would have the same amount of seats available for students.  One bonus is the seating in the grandstands is more than enough room for families.  In addition, they rented turf so students are not standing in the dirt. The fairgrounds actually have parking, unlike the Loftin Stadium to accommodate the attendees.

Mr. Waltman said, “I am excited to see how everything turns out.”

Waltman and the senior class advisor added a few extra surprises to the ceremony to make it more memorable for the seniors. The walk for graduation will be more intimate and Waltman came up with the idea of how the students will enter the stadium. 

Vanssea Leal does not mind that graduation is at the fairground. She said, “Of course I would have loved it to be at our stadium, but I am still grateful that we will be together for a special moment.” 

Administrators have gone all out to make graduation as normal as possible and even a little bit better. Waltman thought it was fun to plan it all out. This is not his ideal location, he thinks it is working out and making it better then how it would be at Loftin. Many don’t know that the class of 2024 is not the first to graduate at the fairgrounds. Waltman mentioned that the class of 2002 also had to graduate at the fairgrounds as well. 

Lily Horten said, “I feel nervous about it being at the fairgrounds but I am interested to see how they decorate and how they set it up.” She is also nervous about graduation because she is one step away from being a kid and going into the real world as an adult. 

Some students are not happy with the outcome of moving to the fairgrounds.  Madison Richards dislikes the fact that graduation is at the fairgrounds. She said, “It’s unfair to graduate somewhere where it’s not our territory, and I think there were other options that could have been better.” She feels like the seniors should have had more of a voice when it came to deciding where graduation should be held.

America Estrada said, “I feel upset that it is at a random place where it is going to be dirty and dusty. There is going to be a lot of dirt.” She would rather have graduation at Pacheco High School instead of graduation at the fairground.