Graduation ceremonies return to normal in Peoria Unified

By Philip Haldiman
Mail | Twitter: @PhilipHaldiman

Two years worth of high school graduations have been irrevocably changed by the COVID-19 pandemic and now that lower cases are allowing for more normalcy, it appears ceremonies will return to pre-pandemic circumstances.

That means caps and gowns, as well as students receiving their certificates in-person as Pomp and Circumstance plays.

This year, Peoria schools will deliver a class of students with a unique outlook on their high school careers.

In the coming weeks, schools will be celebrating the last four years and the future of their students as it was meant to be.

Liberty High School senior Elena Yoder and Sunrise Mountain High School senior Grant Valentine are scheduled to speak at their respective graduations and shared with Peoria Independent their thoughts on spending part of their high school years under the shadow of a pandemic.

Elena Yoder

After living your high school career during a pandemic, what was most difficult for you?

We realized what the definition of fear was based on the reactions and chaos that came as an aftermath of the worldwide event.

As high schoolers in a pandemic, it was a wake-up call to be present with the circumstances we are placed in. It was difficult to adjust to a world unknown to us, or any generation before us. The truth is that there were days that fear could have taken over, yet instead, we worked in student council, as high schoolers, and just people in general, to use the creativity and skills we have to make the most of the current situations.

What have you learned moving toward your future endeavors?

My biggest takeaway from the pandemic is the word “embrace.” I learned how to embrace the memories and adventures, as well as hills and valleys of where I found myself. Frequently, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day hustle, but by being present and embracing what comes my way, I have been able to take advantage of my surroundings to better the world in any way I can.

Grant Valentine

After living your high school career during a pandemic, what was the most difficult for you?

Although online learning strained the many AP classes I took and inhibited my learning, the most detrimental impact affected my social life. I was not the most extroverted by the time school was taken remote after spring break of my sophomore year, but that break marked my point of very minimal contact with others.

Although the classes were still taught asynchronously, they felt cold and alone, as no one had any real ability to reach out to each other during the year. Many of those who I often talked to floated away into their own isolation; I ended up nearly spending the year, until January of my Junior year, talking to school friends maybe once a month, and leaving my home near to none.

What have you learned moving toward your future endeavors?

Through the isolation, I learned how important friends and support networks are. As soon as quarantine was over, I became more social than ever and did my best to reconnect with old friends. Now I understand life is too short not to share the good with others, and to reach out for help when you need it the most. Moving forward I will make sure to establish these connections wherever I go.

Philip Haldiman can be reached at phaldiman@iniusa.org, or on Twitter @philiphaldiman.

Philip Haldiman
Senior News Editor | Peoria
@PhilipHaldiman

phaldiman@iniusa.org

Meet Philip
Haldiman is an award-winning journalist who most recently took first place for investigative reporting in 2023 from Arizona Newspapers Association. He joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2015, covering Sun City West his first year. Since 2016, he has covered the city of Peoria. Prior to coming to INI, he was a reporter with The Arizona Republic for seven years, covering numerous cities throughout the Valley. Before that, he was a freelance writer.

Community: Haldiman spearheads the Peoria Independent Hometown Heroes Awards program, honoring local individuals and businesses that give back to the community. He has hosted local candidate forums over the years and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. Haldiman also served as a member of the Journalism Program Community Advisory Board at Glendale Community College. Outside journalism, Haldiman served as a member of the city of Peoria Complete Count Committee for the Census, 2019-2020. Lastly, he has served as a member of his HOA governing board since 2021.

Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and a BA in Theater. 

Random Fact: Haldiman is a fourth-generation Arizonan as well as wrote and produced an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.

Hobbies: He enjoys hiking Arizona’s mountainous landscapes and is currently working on a play for the stage.