Since the pandemic, life has been set to pause. Events had to be cancelled, work had to be cancelled, and practically anything that involved doing activities had to be postponed. Unfortunately, seniors did not experience the kind of memories as expected, but there were scheduled activities set instead.

The senior graduation is scheduled to be a live in-person ceremony rather than a virtual one. Commencement will take place on June 5 at 8:00 p.m. at Cardinal Stadium. Due to guidelines issued by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), the ceremony will not be open to the public and only four family members are allowed to attend with the graduate. However, the ceremony will be live streamed via the school’s Facebook and YouTube pages.

Not only will there be a graduation happening for the seniors, but there will also be a yearbook signing and celebration on July 25. The details such as time and place have not yet been confirmed, so check the Melissa ISD website periodically for more information: Senior Website.

Other than graduation and the celebration, a Senior Caravan through Melissa was held on Sat., May 23, at 10:00am. This took the place of the traditional “Senior Walk” through the elementary campuses.The graduates of 2020 decorated their vehicles and drove through various neighborhoods in Melissa while the community came out to watch the parade and cheer on the graduates.

Following the caravan, the Class of 2020 was invited to “Make Your Mark” and sign two beams that will be installed in the new indoor multi-purpose facility that is about to be constructed. The graduates signed their names with sharpies, received a T-shirt and other goodies from the engineers Harrison, Walker, and Harper, and posed for a group photo.

Alas, a senior awards ceremony was held virtually on Tues., May 26, at 6:30 p.m. A number of seniors were rewarded for their hard work, dedication, and talent throughout the year.