Graduation is an event every senior imagines. But for the class of 2021, graduation will look different from the ceremonies of the past. 

Like many other schools, Waipahu High School typically holds its graduations at Blaisdell Arena, with family members and friends cheering and graduates smothered in lei by the end. 

This year’s graduation will be held at Aloha Stadium on May 20, 2021. Each graduate will only be allowed four guests in their car. The ceremony will be livestreamed and visible on a large screen for guests, and audio will be transmitted through FM radio. 

Senior class advisor Ms. Lindsay Kosasa faced the challenge of planning for graduation without the in-person support of the underclassmen councils typically provided in the past. 

“The hardest part for me would be not having my council kids here because they are so hardworking and they always know what to do, even the simple things like counting money and keeping track of grad fees. I’m left here to do all of it.” 

But even without council students’ help with these steps, “The faculty, the staff, and the admin at our school are very, very supportive of every graduating class. They all know how hard they work and we all love our students,” Kosasa says. “So, everyone is willing to help with executing this graduation for our kids and their families and that made everything a bit easier.” 

“I appreciate the effort made by our admin and other faculty members to give seniors as much as a ‘normal’ graduation as possible. The changes seem safe and considerate of the seniors. While I’m still not entirely sure how the graduation will play out start to finish, from what they’ve told us, I think it will be a really nice day for the class of 2021,” senior Willow Takahashi says. 

Even if this year’s graduation will be a bit different, the Waipahu High School community will still celebrate the senior class’s achievements.