The City of Oxford is celebrating the Class of 2020 with a senior slideshow, broadcast on the Square. 

The slideshow will be projected on a screen at RSVP Plaza, next door to City Hall. It will first honor Oxford High School graduates, from May 5 through 8 every night from 8 to 10 p.m. 

Lafayette High School graduates will be honored from May 18 through 21 from 8 to 10 p.m. 

Oxford High School’s seniors are currently filming their individual walks across the stage as part of a ceremony that will be broadcast on May 15, the day Oxford’s graduation was scheduled to take place at C.M. “Tad” Smith Coliseum on the Ole Miss campus. 

Photographer Rick Addy will also be on hand during the two-day recording to photograph the moment, just as he would have during the traditional ceremony. 

“Graduation is an important milestone –hearing your name called out, accepting your diploma in-hand, and walking across the stage is a privilege that you have earned,” OHS Principal Noah Hamilton said of the alternate graduation plans. “We have made arrangements to give that experience to you.” 

For Lafayette, graduates will take part in a private ceremony with up to five family members at the Lafayette Middle School auditorium. The days graduates can film their private ceremony will be May 19 through 22. 

During graduation week, each senior will be filmed as they drive through to pick up their cap and gown, as part of a program called “Parade of Seniors.” This will serve as the processional for the ceremony. 

The class Commencement will be live streamed at 6 p.m. on May 22 through the school district’s website, the Dores Roku channel, Amazon Fire Stick, Facebook and Instagram. 

“We are trying to make this a special occasion for our graduates,” said Lafayette school superintendent Dr. Adam Pugh. “We want our seniors to know we love and appreciate them.” 

Due to LHS conducting the week-long virtual ceremony, the May 22 ceremony will have senior portraits appear when each graduate’s name is called. A second airing of the graduation, with the individual ceremonies replacing the portraits, will take place on June 5.