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West Newsmagazine 5-20-20

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FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE<br />

WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM<br />

POWERplex to host unique<br />

graduation opportunity<br />

By BONNIE KRUEGER<br />

High school seniors dream of walking<br />

across the stage to receive their diplomas<br />

and collectively throw their caps in the air<br />

in celebration.<br />

Thanks to an innovative approach during<br />

the COVID-19 pandemic, doing so will<br />

be a reality for 2,700 students this spring,<br />

including 1,793 seniors from Marquette,<br />

Eureka, Rockwood Summit and Lafayette<br />

and 85 St. Charles County Home Schools<br />

Association seniors.<br />

The creative team at the POWERplex<br />

will transform the former site of St. Louis<br />

Mills Mall, in Hazelwood, into a graduation<br />

venue.<br />

Between May 29 and June 10, area high<br />

school seniors will be able to walk across<br />

a stage and receive their diplomas while<br />

family members watch on Jumbotrons<br />

from the safety of their cars.<br />

That’s right – it’s a graduation drive-in.<br />

“POWERplex was hearing senior and<br />

parent concerns and frustrations facing<br />

graduations. Most schools were delaying<br />

graduation for July or August,” explained<br />

Dan Buck, managing partner of Big Sports<br />

Properties and president of POWERplex.<br />

“We felt compelled to give them a traditional<br />

graduation since they’ve already lost<br />

so much.<br />

“Once we envisioned the event, audio,<br />

staging, video, rental and security companies<br />

collectively came together affordably<br />

to make something special for the class<br />

of <strong>20</strong><strong>20</strong>. The joined forces will create the<br />

largest drive-in graduation ceremonies ever<br />

held.”<br />

Those forces include Schnucks Markets,<br />

U.S. Bank and more than a dozen area local<br />

live event companies, including Fogarty<br />

Services, Klance Unlimited, Brought 2U<br />

Media, MVP Security and Valet, and Big<br />

Sports Properties.<br />

Bill Fogarty, president of Fogarty Services<br />

of Arnold, said, “When the creative<br />

minds at the POWERplex came to us with<br />

this idea to build a huge drive-in graduation<br />

with video trucks, Jumbotrons and<br />

livestreaming, along with food trucks<br />

offering curbside delivery to parents and<br />

family members, we said, ‘Count us in.’”<br />

In addition to Rockwood and the Homeschool<br />

Association, participating schools<br />

include those in the Ferguson-Florissant<br />

School District and North County Christian.<br />

As of press time, POWERplex was in<br />

discussion with a number of other schools.<br />

Organizers have worked closely with<br />

the St. Louis County Department of Public<br />

Health to meet all the social distancing<br />

requirements while at POWERplex, the<br />

site of a soon-to-be premier youth sports<br />

venue. Students will be escorted to assigned<br />

pods on the 1.5 million-square-foot mall to<br />

maintain social distancing. While on the<br />

AstroTurf field for the<br />

ceremony, students also<br />

will maintain social distancing.<br />

Guests will view<br />

graduation on two<br />

30-foot Jumbotrons and<br />

two 16-foot side video<br />

trucks. Audio broadcasting<br />

will be through<br />

an FM tuner and<br />

high-definition sound<br />

[Source: Adobe Stock]<br />

microphone, allowing<br />

families to listen on their<br />

car radios. For extended<br />

family not able to attend<br />

in person, livestreaming<br />

will be available at<br />

a nominal fee. Professional photographers,<br />

videographers and drone services will capture<br />

the event for families.<br />

Superintendent Dr. Mark Miles said<br />

Rockwood moved forward with this graduation<br />

plan to serve the best interests of students,<br />

parents and staff.<br />

“We want to provide some certainty<br />

within uncertainty,” Miles said. “We also<br />

recognized that as we go into June and July<br />

many seniors are going to college, entering<br />

careers or the military. It will be challenging<br />

to gather the students to celebrate.”<br />

Acknowledging that seniors have given<br />

up a lot of traditions in the final phase of<br />

their senior year, graduation was not a<br />

sacrifice Miles or the Rockwood Board<br />

of Education was willing to make. It’s a<br />

decision that Lafayette senior parent Sue<br />

Robeson appreciates. Serving as the senior<br />

celebration chair, Robeson understands the<br />

See GRADUATION, page 23<br />

please join<br />

us on<br />

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westnewsmagazine.com<br />

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