COVID-19, my graduation has been postponed. This includes my cousin’s son, now the fifth in the Kalinoski clan to graduate from Ohio University — and, coincidentally, the second to have his commencement canceled. Coronavirus and College Graduation: What to Know Here's what college seniors and their families should know as schools cancel, postpone or plan virtual graduation … As he exited the office, he exhaled a sigh of relief and pumped his fist in delight. If included in your order, apply the envelope seal on the flap of the inside envelope to secure it closed. How the class of 2020 is celebrating during the coronavirus pandemic. His secretary wrote an emphatic “Yes!” but with one condition: I had to pay for his cap and gown! You can still plan a grad party, give or receive cards and personalized graduation gifts, express your pride to the new grad, or celebrate with your graduating class. Fifty years after the Vietnam War protests disrupted my father’s turn to take part in commencement, young people across the nation have faced the same fate due to COVID-19. Get a Custom Graduation Stole. At 45, Bencke was an avid cyclist and runner, and had biked 200 miles the week before his diagnosis. “Part of what has helped not having the big fuss over graduation is that those are sad days for her, where she notices the absence of her dad. Although asking for money as a gift -- or asking for any gift -- in an invitation has long been considered rude and tacky, times are changing, and graduates need money more than they need a fancy pen set. After completing Aeries Air, you must email the Registrar/Records at your site and provide the following documents as scanned documents or emailed pictures. “It almost broke her. As my graduation approached in the spring of 2007, I had an idea. Hearing those stories during my formative years likely had their intended effect. “You need human connection and you need something that you are working toward or something exciting,” she said. Don’t ignore the losses; face them head on for what they are. Even though many of the class of 2020’s graduation ceremonies may be hijacked by COVID-19, there are plenty of ways you can still … Perhaps even more than kids, because parents know from experience what their kids are missing. As he swung open the office door, he found his professor sunken and sullen. I had 29 great years on Earth with my father, who died in 2013, and heard many stories about the four best years of his life in Athens. COVID-19 is temporarily changing the way we celebrate. © 2021 www.dispatch.com. But it didn’t. For weeks now, many people have been sheltering in place and limiting social contact with others to help curb the spread of the coronavirus during the COVID-19 outbreak. Title: 202491_GDP_SY20_Announcement Insert Card_Canceled Event_PF01.indd Created Date: But it didn’t. Thankfully, her dog (and husband) still reside with her in Bellevue, WA. My father was hesitant at first when I told him about the opportunity but realized how special that moment could be. Corona Invitations FAQs. And to have that taken away from you — that is loss.”, “A lot of our kids are grieving whether they know that’s what they are doing or not.”. But we still have every reason to celebrate these kids’ hard work and academic accomplishments. While her academic hard work paid off, Anna has been devastated to miss out on prom and other senior year traditions she had looked forward to. It started on May 4, 1970, when shots rang out at Kent State University after the Ohio National Guard was called in response to students protesting the Vietnam War. What was it about that celebration or that ritual that you were most looking forward to? So she’s kind of getting a pass,” Mezulis said. NJ Waives Graduation Rules, Makes Other School Changes Amid COVID - Woodbridge, NJ - Gov. While finding a full-time job may be tough, there are other meaningful options, whether it’s a part-time job in the neighborhood, an online class, an unpaid internship or doing organized tasks around the house. “She doesn’t have to have that poignantly emotional moment where we take that photo and her dad isn’t there.”. GRADUATION ANNOUNCEMENT ETIQUETTE WHEN TO SEND. “It almost broke her. Then came the inevitable announcement from then-President Claude R. Sowle: Campus was closed. I continued his legacy by enrolling at Ohio University in the fall of 2003. All rights reserved. The mom of two teens also recently ordered announcement cards — using pictures from 17-year-old Anna’s senior photo shoot — even though there’s no formal graduation ceremony happening. Send essays by email: talking@dispatch.com. The first step is to make the time to celebrate the event, whether it is family time or time with friends and classmates to celebrate all you have done together. One final passing grade and a short walk across the stage were all that remained. For those who may point out that the pandemic’s devastation — death, unemployment, financial instability —make missing a graduation celebration seem trivial in comparison, Mezulis is here to remind affected teens and parents: “It doesn’t make you selfish. Years later, though, there was one thing that bothered him: OU never refunded him for his cap and gown that he never used! As the school year comes to an end and the “corona-version” of graduation season has started, Mezulis says it’s important to validate what both teens and parents are feeling. You can get it in any … But there are plenty of others: FaceTime or Zoom; make a scrapbook or photo album; have friends and family create video messages for the graduate; dress up at home and take the family photo with your graduate in cap and gown. ET During a mock graduation ceremony held in Florida, parents called each girl's name as they walked across the resort balcony and were handed a faux diploma. Zachary T. Kalinoski, 36, lives in Clintonville. It makes you human.”, “It doesn’t undermine that there are people out there struggling with ‘bigger’ issues… It’s just an investment in our kids and our families that we are noting these losses.”. For more information on graduation announcements, click here. After his death, there were the first birthdays without him to get through and Elsie’s 8th grade graduation. Some kids will be relieved that remote learning and the spring of disappointment is over. “Loss is anything you were planning on, hoping for, had invested in. Our collection of corona invitation designs means you can almost always find that perfect invitation or other invite styles that truly speak to you and your personality. But with a little creativity, you can honor your child’s accomplishments, bring together the important people in their life, and focus on celebrating. Here is the list of Registrar/Records at all sites: They are also feeling greater levels of loneliness and anger. With no school, teens may lose some meaning and purpose to get up in the morning. Announce your grad in style. Without asking my parents, I emailed his office. If you plan to send out graduation announcements after graduating, you can send them up to six weeks afterward. Protestors uprooted bricks from the streets and hurled them toward the street lamps and the windows of office buildings. It is highly recommended that you order your announcements with a Balfour representative during Grad Fest to ensure that your personalized announcements contain all of … They were his marriage to my mother, the birth of my brother and me, and the moment he was able to walk across that stage at OU with me. While Mezulis is heartbroken over the cancellation of the graduation party she planned long ago — which was going to be attended by her husband’s family and many of his closest friends from across the country — she realizes it was more for her, and not what Anna necessarily needed. With … But now, as states start loosening these restrictions, there’s something new to worry about: how to respond to invitations to social events. He was a college graduate after all, only the second in his family. Apr 20, 2016 - The first large milestone experienced in your child's academic life is graduating from High School. We invite readers of all ages to submit an original and previously unpublished personal essay of musings related to life during the current pandemic for Coronavirus Chronicles. MY CEREMONY WILL NOW TAKE PLACE: DATE: TIME: PLACE: ©2020 Jostens, Inc. 202492. Amy Mezulis made a graduation announcement card for her daughter, even though there is no official ceremony this year. And for ever and ever going forward, she knows she got through it. When the day came, we were interviewed by a camera crew and had our moment to shine, walking across the same stage — one after the other — as college graduates. Many high school seniors are wondering how they might plan their graduation ceremonies. Later that month, my father recounted the most special moments in his life. He’d be so thrilled about Brown. “Grief is defined as the emotional response to loss. Everyone’s passing.” My father concurred empathetically. Hopefully, my father’s story compels us to open the next one and embrace the joy that awaits us on the other side. Both age groups are experiencing more depression and suicidal thoughts; teens and young adults are showing a greater increase in suicidal thoughts and behavior compared to adults. And yes, those feelings are real and valid, for teens and parents. Successfully making it to adulthood and receiving their diploma is a symbol to their new life to start. “You could never in a million years have seen it coming,” says Mezulis, who remains grateful that she and her daughters got to say their goodbyes to him and him to them. A professor of clinical psychology at Seattle Pacific University and co-founder of UpLift, a teletherapy practice for teens and young adults, Mezulis has spent much of her time during the COVID-19 pandemic researching adolescent mental health and counseling teens who are feeling loss, loneliness and depression. Place your graduation announcement into the inside envelope with the folded edge inserted first and the front of the announcement facing the flap. As my father recounted many times, the scene there on College Green was chaotic. Kavita Varma-White is a Senior Editor for TODAY Parents, Digital. This custom stole can be photo printed. The second is making the meaningful memory. In March, Mezulis’ team at SPU began a research study of 2500 participants, comparing how teens and young adults ages 14 to 24 were reacting to the pandemic compared to adults ages 25 and older. Place the inside envelope into the outside envelope and seal the outside envelope flap. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Hearing those stories during my formative years likely had their intended effect. Congratulations, graduates! Submissions should run no longer than about 600 words and should include the name, age, hometown and phone number of the author, as well as a current photo. Families should identify what it is about the event that is most important that you are not getting. “The key to being happy is not just about having happy, fun things to do in your life, but having a sense of accomplishment, meaning and purpose.”, In the month he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, Mezulis’ husband Matt wrote a moving article for Wired, pledging his desire to “beat the odds.”. ... are predicting cases of COVID … All accepted essays become property of The Dispatch. With each canceled milestone and diluted holiday tradition, I find hope in the story of my father’s lost rite of passage. It's OK to feel sad. She knows she got through it. To my surprise, I heard back quickly. "We wore party hats and cheered," she said. Cori Bush other lawmakers call … The help Follow her on Instagram and Twitter. Personalized graduation announcements are a great way to let your family and friends know about your academic accomplishments! Considering she feels it herself, Mezulis recognizes that parents are grieving over the loss of graduation traditions, too. He died at their home in hospice care just 12 weeks later. The National Guard was called in to restore order and patrol Court and Union streets. IE 11 is not supported. It’s OK to feel mad and robbed that you didn’t get those events,” she said. Unlike a graduation invitation that includes an event date, the graduation announcement can be sent within a wide time frame; we suggest about two weeks before graduation (when you’re sure all the requirements have been met!) With two kids in college, she lives in a newly empty nest. CityWatch Commencements during COVID-19 are a bittersweet experience for N.Y. grads Published: May 22, 2020 at 11:29 a.m. As winter quickly paints our days black, we wait for COVID-19 vaccines to slowly reawaken us and spring us to better days ahead. Quickly, protests ignited elsewhere around the country, too, including southern Ohio, toward Athens. “I want to be at every gym meet and soccer game, to see the girls’ high school graduations, send them off to college, walk then down the aisle,” he wrote about daughters Anna and Elsie. Graduation announcements are different from invitations - announcements are simply meant to inform recipients of a graduation that is taking place. In-person options may be limited. Concerned about his last passing grade, he visited his professor to inquire abouthis status for graduation. He was always so supportive and I know he’d be so happy for me.”. I thought that our then-president Roderick McDavis (1970 graduate of OU) would be sympathetic and allow my father to walk with me during graduation. And for many, this may be amplified by the fact that there is no guarantee that college or future plans will happen in the fall. Her advice? And loss does not have to be death,” Mezulis said. Amy Mezulis admits that she sent out “Save the Date” invitations for her daughter’s June graduation party in October of last year. Graduation Ideas. Grads everywhere are wondering what graduation season 2020 will bring in light of COVID-19 school and university closures across the world. Our corona invitations start as … to six weeks afterwards, in case you prefer to include a photo of … COVID-19 does not mean you have to immediately cancel your graduation party and any other celebrations associated with this momentous occasion. During this time of COVID-19, if your Commencement is on hold or cancelled, we have a BASIC TEXT Announcement available. Four students were killed and nine were injured in the tragedy that ensued. Buy your invitation and matching thank you cards at the same time and never forget to send thank yous. If you’re sending them before graduating, we suggest you send them at least two weeks before. Here are 14 ways to celebrate. The coronavirus has changed everything about our daily life, due to social distancing restrictions. I continued his legacy by enrolling at Ohio University in the fall of 2003. What better way to do it than by sending graduation announcements out? On the other hand, there was organization and structure that even remote learning provided. My pleas about his lack of refund fell on deaf ears. “But it’s better than ignoring it or pretending that the event is not happening.”. Graduation this year may not look the way any of us planned. Mezulis with daughters Anna and Elsie at Elsie's 8th grade graduation. My father had one last matter to handle before he packed his bags for Cleveland. “I worked really hard for the first 3 1/2 years of high school thinking I’d have this last semester to have fun with my friends and get graduation and get to celebrate all that hard work, and now that I don’t get that I feel like maybe I wasted my time.”. Anna struggled to maintain her focus on high school sports and studies. It’s not as good,” says Mezulis. Like many parents of the class of 2020, Mezulis, of Bellevue, Washington, is mourning the end-of-high school milestones her family should have been able to celebrate. As someone who knows loss, a widow and mom of a high school senior tells teens and parents their graduation grief is real. Graduation announcements can be sent within a wide time frame – you can send them out before or after the actual graduation. There is a major difference between a graduation invitation, which … Graduation Invitations. Graduation invitations serve the purpose of inviting people to a ceremony or graduation party. Graduation from college no longer automatically leads to a well-paying job in the career of the graduate's choice. Anna Bencke will attending Brown University in the fall. The Bencke family in August 2017 on their last family trip before Matt Bencke passed away. There awaited my father, a senior at Ohio University on the cusp of graduation and ready to join the working ranks. “It’s not the same. Of course, this year there is no graduation for Anna’s dad to miss. During school closures due to Coronavirus, please follow these procedures to enroll new students: First, Complete Aeries Air. Guarantee that RSVP with the right corona invitations from Zazzle. We offer a wide variety of announcements and invitations, each customizable in your unique school colors. Once graduation is over, teens will face a different challenge: the uncertainty of summer and beyond. “It is not healthy to have nothing that organizes your day and your time,” she said. She suggests the process of “time and meaning making.”. Though the study is ongoing, Mezulis says a few findings have stood out. Due to changes in the Spring 2021 academic calendar, graduation will occur following the end of the term, which is April 23, 2021. Graduation Announcements. With COVID-19, we’ve learned that countless doors will close unceremoniously. “We have an adult perspective of what those rites of passage really mean, what they meant for our families and the role they would have played and how it would wrap up their high school career,” Mezulis said. Ideas, guidelines for hosting graduation celebrations during COVID-19 pandemic Amanda Kesting 5/5/2020. “I feel cheated out of a graduation and getting to spend more time making memories with friends,” Anna said. “I think he’d have been very excited for me. All students were told to vacate their dorms and apartments. Graduation Party Tips and Ideas During Covid-19 - Andover, MA - Throw Your Grad a Safe Yet Fun Party! The university canceled commencement and decided to mail diplomas to graduates. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Your safety, and the safety of your guests, is of the utmost importance to us. Mezulis says parents may need to help teens structure their time and set some expectations. Echoing the sentiment of 2020, the professor lamented, “I’m too distraught over everything. That’s given her a lot of strength,” Mezulis says of Anna, who got accepted into her dream school, Brown University. “It’s OK to feel loss. Posted in: Announcements , COVID-19 Announcements | Tagged: Coronavirus , COVID-19 Announcements Professional experience aside, Mezulis is familiar with grief. Their kids, Anna and Elsie, were 15 and 12. Some parents are choosing to send out graduation open house invitations with a note about checking social media for possible changes in dates. Amy Mezulis made a graduation announcement card for her daughter, ... How the class of 2020 is celebrating during the coronavirus … Is your child having a birthday during COVID-19 social distancing? “It makes me sad that Dad doesn’t get to see me graduate,” she said. In the fall of 2017, she lost her husband, Matt Bencke, to metastatic pancreatic cancer. That’s given her a lot of strength.". If your event has been affected, you may utilize one of these designs to make the announcement of a cancelled or postponed event. Announcement Cover Send that special someone a keepsake of your graduation announcement protected by an embossed, leatherette cover. Whether your grad finished pre-K, middle school, high school, or college, these are the most creative quarantine graduation ideas for 2020 you can do at … Photo: Niko Morales via GMA. Turn your front door into a celebration of achievement. Was chaotic site on another browser wrote an emphatic “ Yes! ” with... May 22, 2020 at 11:29 a.m et Personalized graduation announcements tells and! Relief and pumped his fist in delight purpose to get through and,!, for teens and parents to maintain her focus on high school grade, he visited professor! 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