An Unforgettable Live-Streamed Graduation

In spite of the pandemic, the TSTS team helped Central DeWitt High School pull together a unique and memorable graduation ceremony for the senior class and their families.

Central DeWitt Community School District wanted to have a graduation for the class of 2020 that was unforgettable – but how does one do that during the COVID-19 pandemic? Dr. Dan Peterson, superintendent of schools, stated he never thought this was how the year would end. 

Held in the school parking lot on a large, just-built concert stage, the graduates were able to participate from their vehicles: once their name was called, the graduate exited the car, walked across the stage to receive the diploma, then returned to their vehicle. Live streaming of the event on YouTube allowed more than 600 people to view the event with a one-time view total of nearly 4,000! 

This scale of event does not happen without a lot of hard work and coordination from a talented team, said Dr. Peterson. The district relies on TSTS for classroom technology needs, so this event was a perfect fit of skills. The district had a vision and asked TSTS to be the technical conduit to make it happen.

Early graduation morning, TSTS team members Brett Hippler and Kevin Murphy were running a fiber line in the rain to allow for outside internet access to stream the event. Central DeWitt’s 130 graduates could be viewed on YouTube with an audio broadcast over the local radio station that afternoon. Family and friends could participate by watching the commencement from the safety of their own homes. 

At the ceremony, Dr. Peterson recognized Twin State for contributing to the success of this unique event! Because TSTS set up the live stream, thousands of loved ones could share in this significant, truly once-in-a-lifetime event. 

Brett, a DeWitt graduate himself, has been assisting the school’s K-12 students remotely and in person since 2016. Brett is dedicated to helping students get the most out of their education – and now especially with their learning-at-home experience. He noted, “I feel it is not only my job but my obligation to help the students whenever possible. In these challenging times, I see the need for IT support is more important than ever. I take pride in helping the students in any way I can, so they acquire the best possible online learning.” 

Both Brett and Kevin did an outstanding job for DeWitt. After the ceremony, when the vehicles paraded through DeWitt’s streets lined with well-wishers celebrating their success, TSTS rode along with those graduates. 

Graduation can be memorable during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

We had a lot of fun working on the new Central DeWitt logo and branding. Check out the brand reveal video we put together.