Graduation location in question after Apple Bowl renovations
Note: A quote was attributed to the Wenatchee School District Maintenance and Operations Director Greg Thompson that was not correct. Thompson never said school district could not host graduation at the Apple Bowl, and he did not say that hosting graduation there would “ruin” the field. The Apple Leaf apologizes for the mistake.
Last year, controversy was stirred up by the change in location of graduation. Since the Apple Bowl was under construction at the time, the event was moved to the Town Toyota Center, disappointing many of the graduating class of 2015. However, now that the construction on the Apple Bowl has been completed, the tradition of graduation can go back to taking place where it has always been for as long as some people can remember.
However, this may not be the case. Due to a few recent examinations of the turf by Maintenance and Operations staff, it may not be possible to host an event of such size and such specific needs as graduation without ruining the all new state-of-the-art field, says Wenatchee School District Maintenance and Operations Director Greg Thompson.
“In order to be able to put on a big event like graduation the way that people have done it in the past, we would have to apply a protective surface to the turf, because chairs placed directly on the top would sink into the ground,” Thompson said. “This would make sure that the field stays nice.”
This subject has yet to be discussed by the Wenatchee School District Board, according to Deputy Superintendent Jon DeJong. At some point, Senior Class Advisor Brandon Harle will be speaking to the seniors to hear their opinions on the subject. As for purchasing a cover for the field, Thompson is looking into the overall cost for one. According to DeJong, the district would pay the cost.
“No decision of any kind has been made on where graduation will take place,” Harle said. I went to graduation last year in the Town Toyota Center and I didn’t think that it was as nice as any of the previous ones. It just wasn’t the same. — John Kottcamp, senior
Seniors have taken varied stances on this subject.
DeJong has asked Harle to gather feedback from seniors during the first senior class meeting. The date for that meeting has yet to be determined. After the meeting, the senior Senate and Harle will ask for the class of 2016’s feedback.
“I’d prefer for graduation to be at the Apple Bowl,” senior John Kottcamp said. “It’s a tradition — it’s always been there and it’s a really nice venue. I went to graduation last year in the Town Toyota Center and I didn’t think that it was as nice as any of the previous ones. It just wasn’t the same.”
“It’d be nice to do it in the Apple Bowl because it was a tradition up until last year, and it’s nice to be outside,” senior Jake Files said. “But the Town Toyota Center would be fine too. It doesn’t really matter in the end as long as I graduate.”
Bev McCreary • Sep 22, 2015 at 9:10 pm
I’m not surprised. The renovation of the Apple Bowl was the reason needed to move graduation to Town Toyota. Students AND parents are going to need to be persistently persuasive to get graduation moved back to the Apple Bowl. Graduation exercises in the Bowl are special. Note, years ago it was deemed graduation in the Apple Bowl could/would ruin the sand-based grass field. Graduation was held in the Apple Bowl almost every year since 1998–where there is a will there’s a way.