Father plans drive-thru graduation for Class of 2020
Car, Caps, and Grads will provide drive-thru graduation
Graduation may be saved for some Central Florida high school seniors. Without normal graduation ceremonies this year, one father is organizing Cars, Caps, and Grads -- a drive-thru graduation.
WINDERMERE, Fla. - Fraser Bowie doesn't even have to say it. Pull up to his house and you know he is proud of his daughter, who will soon be graduating from Windemere High School.
However, she and other high school seniors across the state are not having a "normal" graduation this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"It’s disappointing. It’s kind of like something you look forward to, something you see in movies and TV shows and everything. And, it’s kind of like this grand thing that everyone brings it up to be," said Mackenzie Bowie.
That's why her father is doing something special instead.
"We created 'Cars, Caps and Grads: The Drive-thru Graduation,' he said.
The idea is to have the seniors kind of drive across the stage and then have a whole parade of cars honking and cheering them on afterward.
"And then we’ll parade through the neighborhood, and then for those who can’t be here, we’ll actually livestream it," Fraser Bowie said.
It's something a little different from the now-virtual graduation the school is planning.
"The virtual grad I think is great, but you’re still going to be at your house. You’re still going to be stuck at home," Mackenzie Bowie said.
Bowie is looking for a big parking lot, but for now, plans to do it by the clubhouse in their community.
He created a logo and is opening it up to all seniors from any high school, so each senior can have this twist on a rite of passage.
"We can’t make this a sad event," he said. "We’ve got to make this a fun event and something they’ll tell their grandchildren, hopefully, how fun it was."