DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Graduating high school might feel like crossing the finish line for every senior nationwide, but for matriculating seniors in Flagler County, crossing the finish line will literally mark the completion of their high school careers.
The Flagler County School District announced historic plans to celebrate its seniors, passing out diplomas as the students ride across the iconic black-and-white checkered finish line inside Daytona International Speedway May 31.
The traditional graduation ceremonies at the Ocean Center are not possible for Flagler-Palm Coast High School and Matanzas High School due to restrictions in place to fight the spread of COVID-19. So, the school district formed an ad-hoc Graduation Committee to come up with a solution.
The committee was comprised of students, school administrators, district staff and a school board member who met several times throughout April and discussed several possible scenarios. They wanted to keep graduation in late May so that the majority of their classmates would have the opportunity to participate before heading off to college, starting a career or enlisting in the military.
The students on the committee also said they were “virtualed out,” so any type of virtual ceremony was off the table. The graduating class has seen school closures due to three hurricanes and a global pandemic, so they envisioned a historic ceremony fitting to close out their high school years.
The school district said the France family, Daytona International Speedway and NASCAR made it possible for the World Center of Racing to host the graduation ceremonies. Matanzas High School’s ceremony is set for 11 a.m., and Flagler-Palm Coast High School’s ceremony is at 4 p.m.