Hays High School’s 2021 commencement ceremony will be at Fort Hays State University’s Gross Memorial Coliseum on May 23 at 1:30 p.m.

Graduates will be allowed up to 13 guests. All guests for the graduates will be seated on the upper deck of Gross Memorial Coliseum.

On April 8, principal Martin Straub sent out an email regarding the guest seating, saying “Limited ‘special needs seating’ because of disability, health concerns, and/or age, will be available in chairs on the floor. Those sitting in the special needs area will be social distanced and required to wear mask during the entire ceremony. Please respect this area by only seating guests there who truly need this accommodation. Thank you, in advance, for your understanding and cooperation with this.”

As far as attire for graduation, girls should wear a dress, skirt, dress shorts/pants and a blouse with dress shoes, and boys should wear dress slacks and collared shirt with dress shoes.

During the ceremony, a professional photographer will be on stage taking photographs of each graduate receiving a diploma. If students are interested in ordering a photo, the forms will be available on each graduate’s chair at commencement. According to the email that Straub sent, the photographer’s website is www.gradimages.com.

The Baccalaureate event, which is being planned by the Ellis County Ministerial Alliance and the senior class, is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, May 19 at 7 p.m.

Commencement practice will be held on Friday, May 21 at 9 a.m. at Gross Memorial Coliseum. This will allow for students to come back together one last time before graduation and practice their graduation.
Project Graduation for the Class of 2021 will be held on the day of the graduation ceremony. This event will run from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. Parents may be allowed to arrive earlier based on what committee they are helping with.

A DVD of the 2021 HHS commencement and Project Graduation may be purchased from the Hays High School Video Department by contacting Dan Balman at dbalman@usd489.com or 785-623-2600.

21avredenburg@usd489.com