The time has come for the Senior Class of 2017 to exit their stay at Paint Branch and move on to bigger things.

For many, this has been a day that they have looked forward to since the moment they entered PB’s halls. However, over the last two months the vision that they once had for the day has changed as the culminating event of their high school career had to be moved from DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, DC to the school’s turf field in Burtonsville. This decision excited some students while they thought of the movie High School Musical and being able to graduate earlier than waiting for Constitutional Hall. However, this decision also took a toll on some people, as they had envisioned themselves at Constitution Hall for so long.

Due to a concert being scheduled on the same day as PB’s graduation – May 26 – at DAR Constitution Hall, a decision  had to be made. PB Administration spoke to the senior class and their parents about the options and decided that the most important piece of graduation was the date, not the venue. And so, for the first time in many years, graduates will sit in the shadow of the school and look out at it as they cross the graduation stage.

Seniors graduating are still very anxious for the stage and their promotion to other opportunities. Senior Kaleb Addison is pretty excited about the decision saying, “I think it’s cool, and it makes us stand out because we’re the only class to do it in such a long time.” Most seniors have the same mind-set and don’t care where they graduate from, as long as they do. Andy Hernandez says,  “As long as I graduate, I don’t care where it is. I’m getting out of high school.” Jasmine Senda feels similarly, though she admits that it would have been nice to be at Constitution Hall. “I feel that it would’ve been nice to graduate at Constitution Hall like everyone else but, as long as we graduate on time, it doesn’t matter.”

One person at Paint Branch who can tell students what it’s like to graduate at Paint Branch is music teacher Ms. Mitchell, who was part of the first class ever to graduate from Paint Branch. Mrs. Mitchell explains how her class graduated here at the school. “We lined up in the gym and marched to the stadium (which was just across that outdoor basketball area). I recorded myself playing “Pomp & Circumstance” on the organ, and this is what we marched in to.”

Ms. Mitchell graduated from the original building and recalls that “the stage was one of those stages you see at county fairs.  It was hot, breezy, and I remember trying to play the piano and the sleeves of my gown got in the way and honor society stoles blowing across the field!”

Only time will tell what graduation will bring this year, but no matter what the weather or the venue is, it will be one of the most memorable moments for the Class of 2017.