Harford County Graduations To Be At Ripken Stadium For 2021

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — Ripken Stadium will host in-person graduations for seniors in Harford County Public Schools this spring.

The school system signed a contract with the stadium Friday, Superintendent Sean Bulson said at Monday’s school board meeting.

Ten graduation ceremonies will occur, at 50 percent capacity.

“People will be spread out,” Bulson said. “We're very excited to be able to do larger group graduations.”

Last spring because of the coronavirus pandemic, the school system gave seniors the option to make appointments to accept their diplomas in person, and each school put together a digital commencement video.

A task force that Harford County Public Schools established in 2020 worked on the plan for the class of 2021.

About 1,600 people will be able to attend the class of 2021 graduations, and ceremonies will be around the second base outfield area, according to task force member Michael L. O’Brien, who is the executive director of secondary school instruction and performance for Harford County Public Schools.

Graduations will begin Monday, May 24, O’Brien said, and the school system plans to communicate with families about them starting Tuesday, March 23.

All ceremonies will be live-streamed, he said.

Typically, the graduations have been at Harford Community College, which will provide support in the event there are rain dates, O’Brien said.

“We're so happy for our seniors,” O’Brien said. “We really see the light at the end of the tunnel for our senior class.”

See Also: In-Person And Virtual Graduations Planned In Harford County For 2020