Graduation Ceremonies at Reynolds Prepare for the Heat
June 6, 2008 – Parents and visitors attending the nine graduation ceremonies for Wake County high schools June 11 to 14 in Reynolds Coliseum need to be prepared for the heat.Weather forecasts are calling for an extended heat wave and thousands of people are expected to take part in ceremonies at Reynolds which does not have air conditioning. Reynolds provides the space needed for ceremonies with schools that have 400 to more than 500 students in the graduating class. It’s been in use as an interim measure in recent years while a new Raleigh Civic Center has been under construction.
Leesville Road and Millbrook high schools hold ceremonies at Reynolds Wednesday, June 11. Wake Forest-Rolesville and Cary high schools hold ceremonies Thursday, June 12. Wakefield High will hold ceremonies Friday, June 13. Garner, Enloe, Green Hope and Apex high schools hold ceremonies Saturday, June 14.
WCPSS and NC State University have discussed this week ways to make ceremonies as comfortable as possible in a building that does not have air conditioning.
- Persons attending the ceremonies are being encouraged to dress comfortably and be prepared for the hot weather.
- More fans will be in service to provide air circulation.
- Misting tents will be in operation at the coliseum’s north entrance
- Water will be sold.
- More staffing will be available to help direct visitors.
Schools are holding practices for their graduation ceremonies so students will be familiar with plans for their event. Schools have provided tickets to students for their guests and schools will be following guidelines to keep the events safe and orderly.
Principals will work to keep the ceremonies at about 75 minutes in length. They will be directing students to closely follow the plans for before, during and after the ceremony to get people in and out of ceremonies quickly.
The WCPSS Security Department will work with school staff and local law enforcement at the ceremonies. Only persons with an admission ticket will be admitted. No laptop computers, packages, artificial noisemakers, balloons, or other disruptive devices will be permitted.
For the ceremonies at Reynolds, traffic should take Hillsborough Street or Western Boulevard to Pullen Road and then Dunn Avenue where they will be directed to the parking deck.
Parking may be more of an issue as several ceremonies are held on the same day. Give yourself additional time to make it to the ceremony.
Graduation ceremonies were held in the air-conditioned comfort of the Raleigh Civic Center from the 1980s until 2005 when construction began on a new civic center. Ceremonies were held in Reynolds Coliseum and Dorton Arena in the years before the civic center was available. The new civic center is expected to be completed in time for graduation ceremonies in 2009.
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