With new changes on the way, Biddeford’s seniors will be looking at a shorter graduation, with less speakers.

We believe that the new program for graduation is more efficient, and student-centered, compared to how it was the previous years.

From seating arrangements to the amount of time a speaker has for the event, the school is changing it all to have the event be all about the graduating seniors. With changes in detail, such as the graduates facing their parents, who are now in front row, and speakers that are facing the graduates, with their 5 minute speeches, Mr. Sirois plans to make the event as efficient as possible, and by having everyone stand out, instead of rolling out and being a forgettable detail.

Not only is it a very thoughtful idea, it also keeps the event at bay. By having too many non-student speakers, the focus of the event is being taken away from our seniors, and their graduation won’t feel as much of a farewell to them as it is a never ending monologue of who-knows-what, by the time the speaker hits their 30-minute mark of talking.

By cutting graduation shorter, some of the senior-oriented events are being moved to the Senior Assembly. One of these events is the Class Historians. Mr. Sirois also plans on adding a candle lit ceremony for the seniors eventually.

The cutting of several ceremonies from graduation may have been necessary to keep the event shorter, but it’s a nice touch to move the event into one that everyone will still be able to cherish it, such as the Senior Assembly. By doing so, it adds to the feel of the event, and it still wouldn’t lose anything in the process.

Scholarship announcements are also being added at graduation, but it will be meant to remain quick by having the recipient called up, their scholarships announced to them, and then moving on to the next recipient.

This should be a nice system to keep the formality of the event in check. It’s also a win for the Senior Assembly since the event would likely feel livelier, rather than have 600 or so kids sit down and listen to the droning list of scholarships.

Lastly, dressing codes will be put in place as well. Boys will have to wear a collared shirt. They also cannot wear jeans or shorts, and must wear formal attire during the event. Girls are not allowed to wear flip flops, but they are allowed to wear sandals or shoes. This is another good call from the school. The event starts feeling less special once everyone starts wearing casual clothing, instead of ones that make the event more formal.

As contradictory as it may be with the new agenda of personalizing the event, a sense of formality from the event is what gives it the feeling that the seniors are actually moving on to bigger things in life.