In a throwback to the days when a faith-based baccalaureate service was the de rigueur precursor to commencement exercises, parents of Edmonds-Woodway High School students are reviving the tradition.
The non-school-sponsored activity will be from 3-5 p.m., Sunday, June 10, at Westgate Chapel, 22901 Edmonds Way, Edmonds. All of the nearly 400 seniors expected to graduate, plus their families, are invited to participate in the planning or simply attend, organizers said.
Meadowdale High School’s parent-sponsored baccalaureate will be at 2 p.m., June 10, in the school’s Great Hall. School officials at Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace high schools say they are not yet aware of baccalaureates planned for students at those schools.
Organizers of the Edmonds-Woodway baccalaureate say they aren’t sure of the history of the traditional religious service at school as it hasn’t been a school-sponsored event for at least the past several years.
The Edmonds School District’s position is that such events are not school-sponsored and are voluntary, according to district spokeswoman Jennifer Aaby. To the best of the district’s recollection, she said, the last school-sponsored baccalaureate at Edmonds-Woodway was in 1999 or 2000. It apparently was discontinued because of the difficulty in organizing a event that was spiritual in nature but inclusive of all students, Aaby said.
The Edmonds-Wodway service will be non-denominational although Christian in nature, organizers say, adding that persons of all faiths are welcome. “It’s out there for those who want it,” said Debbie Wilcox, whose fourth and youngest child will graduate this spring.
“To not have it … seems like a part is missing from the graduation send-off,” Wilcox said. “It’s a spiritual thing … a blessing for their future … that you can’t do in the public setting anymore. It’s real meaningful to our family … a big part of the community.”
Organizers said the service will include music, scripture reading, a guest speaker, perhaps a few personal testimonies from students and a reception. Costs will be absorbed by the planners. Westgate Chapel is offering its facility free of charge.
Nancy Greenwood-Vehrs, who will see the younger of her two children graduate, said she considers baccalaureate “as much as for the parents as it is for the kids.”
“We know the school couldn’t do it for the kids (because of the nature of the event) so we decided to,” Greenwood-Vehrs said.
The planning committee said they welcome more involvement. To volunteer, contact Greenwood-Vehrs at 206-533-2062 or Kirsten Houvener at 425-776-8711 by May 5.
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