What dropped gathering limits will mean for P.E.I.'s graduation, prom season

High school seniors on the Island could havea graduation and prom resemblingpre-pandemic celebrations that previous classes were privileged to.

Limits to personal and organized gatherings were among the mandates that were dropped on April 6 as part of P.E.I.'s transition plan out of the pandemic.

Now, the graduating class of 2022, who have spent the last two years adjusting to COVID-19, may see their luck change.

Three Oaks Senior High School principalJacquelineReeves said there is excitement from students, parents and staff to return to their traditional celebrations.

The school's graduation is back at Credit Union Place a venue the school hasn't used since2019 because of restrictions.

"I think all students from 2020 and 2021 were appreciative of what our school had been able to do for them with the safety measures put in place due to COVID," she said.

"However, it's nice to get back to a sense of normalcy. Looking forward to June and celebrating as a class."

Reeves said the optimism to continue with these unrestricted plans will largely depend on the updates coming out of the province's Chief Public Health Office.

'It's more personal'

At Montague Regional High School,principal Robyn MacDonaldsaid she is still waiting to finalize plans according to what's allowed within the guidelines.

Over the past two years, their graduation ceremonieshavebeen successfully divided into chunks to accommodate physical distancing with smaller groups.

"The length of time of the graduation is reduced significantly it's more personal when there's a smaller number of students to walk across the stage," she said.

"We've also livestreamed the graduation, which we hadn't done before COVID, so that was another positive thing that happened."

The positive feedback, said MacDonald,will more or less push the schoolto keep things the same this year despite the loosened restrictions.

But she said the flexibility is welcomed as the dropped limits will add to the confidence and experience the school has gained when it comes to planning around the pandemic.

'It's pretty important'

Madison Quinn atCharlottetown Rural High School said she was worried the province would placestricter rules, given the precarious nature of COVID.

"I've been wanting this for such a long time. I've been waiting for prom since like, eighth grade," she said.

The 12th grader said her classonly had one semester in high school that wasn't affected by the pandemic, whereas the years after have been filled with physical distancing, masking and bouncing from in-person to online learning.

After these last couple of years, Quinn said she is excited to finally finish high school and end off with a big party.

ForShaylynn Ford, she said she'd also prefer to have a completely normal graduation and prom instead of one with restrictions.

"I think it's pretty important. I mean, you do work for it for 12 years of your life, so it's definitely something that's valued," said the Grade 12 student at Bluefield High School.

"I want to be able to socialize with them and congratulate everybody and just all celebrate together."