Graduating senior Justin Mecham does a handstand just before receiving his diploma during Timpanogos High School’s drive-thru diploma ceremony Tuesday, May 26, 2020, in Orem.
Drive-thru high school graduations may be my new favorite thing to photograph.
Coronavirus has forced so many things to either be drastically altered or canceled all together, and graduations are no exception. However in this case, the altered protocol might have vastly improved the event. Many high school graduations changed to generally fit the following format: Students parade single-file into the front parking lot of the school in decorated vehicles full of their families, students then get out of their vehicles as they approach the typical stage with diplomas and go up one-by-one to receive them from the principal as usual, then they walk a few yards, re-enter their family's vehicle, and drive off in style. Schools typically held the graduations over a few consecutive days for a few hours, so that there weren't as many crowds, and they could take their time going through graduates and not have one massively long day. However, each school had its own version it followed, and in general these changes really spiced up these graduations visually. Graduations are typically held in an assembly line fashion in two large event centers, not allowing for especially exciting light or compositions, which grinds down variety between the 15 public schools we most frequently cover.
I got to the majority of those 15 high school graduation ceremonies over the last two weeks of the month.Otherwise, I had a large influx of stories in need of visuals from other reporters throughout the month that kept me covering usually 3-4 assignments a day while also covering photo editor managerial duties.
Breaking news also cropped up in Utah County more than usual in May. We had an officer-involved shooting that followed a hit-and-run with murky details later released about what transpired, but no deaths, another domestic shooting resulting from a burglary gone wrong, and two teenage girls went missing after swimming in Utah Lake, and whose bodies were found eight days later washed up on the shores of the lake eight miles apart. The latter of which was the most sad, yet dynamic story, and was a humbling experience to photograph when their bodies were found and put an end to the search, and hopefully, gave their families some sort of closure.
Breaking news seemed to be a large national focus throughout the United States as protests erupted in cities across the country following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Even Salt Lake City, what I consider to be a sleepy metropolitan city, saw vehicles flipped and in flames. However, Salt Lake City generally falls outside of the Daily Herald's coverage area, so we haven't been doing any reporting on the unrest from our staff, and a protest in Provo was quite small and calm. George Floyd's death has made me keenly remember my experiences in Minneapolis covering the aftermath of Philando Castile's death when he was killed by a police officer in 2016. I learned so much then about the state of social justice in the U.S. and the Black Lives Matter and related movements, and it revolutionized how I think about protests and the role of the media in times such as these. I've been thinking often on those lessons lately.
Personally, this month was also a rollercoaster. My partner got a reporting position with Report for America at the Sacramento Bee for 1-2 years, and starts her first day today. She has been my source of constant support, and though we are now dating at a distance, I know we're as well-equipped as any to tackle the challenge and grow. I am so proud of her accomplishments that have led her to Sacramento, and I know that wherever her future is, it is bright. While she's away, I'll continue to work on myself, bike to my heart's content, and more fervently foster the good group of friends I'm fortunate to have here in Utah.
Graduating senior Kerri Christensen waves to faculty and staff members as they cheer her on during Timpview High School’s drive-thru diploma ceremony Thursday, May 21, 2020, in Provo.
Graduating senior Jennifer Pugina elbow-bumps principal Dr. Joe Jensen after receiving her diploma while Alpine School District Board of Education board member Sara Hacken looks on during Timpanogos High School’s drive-thru diploma ceremony Tuesday, May 26, 2020, in Orem.
Graduating seniors, from right, Porche Powell, Emily Price and Tad Palmer sign their names in chalk among the signatures of their fellow classmates during Mountain View High School’s drive-thru diploma ceremony Monday, May 18, 2020, in Orem.
Norman Banks unties bales of hay to feed cows and calfs in a pasture belonging to his family’s business, the Banks Cattle Company, on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, in Palmyra. A rare calf belonging to the family disappeared last week, and the family believes it was stolen directly out of the pasture pictured.
Volunteer coordinator Aubrey Markham goes over notes in a song with Adia Cardona, 9, during a remote piano lesson at the South Franklin Community Center on Friday, May 15, 2020, in Provo. Markham is a professional piano teacher and is holding weekly private music lessons for six students who were enrolled in the free music lessons before the dismissal of school and community center in-person classes.
Nathan Garner, of Taylorsville, makes his way along Frontage Road while running a 5K on the Run of Remembrance course Monday, May 25, 2020, in American Fork. Like many races since the coronavirus pandemic began, the Run of Remembrance was held virtually this year, allowing for the over 2,000 runners that registered for the race to participate in the one-mile run, 5K or 10K runs on their own. Read more from this Monday Close-Up here: provodh.com/0y2r5
Authorities carry away the body of one of the two Saratoga Springs teenagers that went missing in Utah Lake at the Lincoln Beach Marina on Thursday, May 14, 2020, west of Spanish Fork. Priscilla Bienkowski, 18, and Sophia Hernandez, 17, were reported missing on May 6 after going swimming on the western shores of Utah Lake, and according to multiple sources their bodies were discovered by search and rescue crews early Thursday afternoon.
Kelly and James Ivie place pinwheel spinners and an American flag at the gravesite of Rex and Mary Ivie, James’ parents, at the Pleasant Grove City Cemetery on Monday, May 25, 2020. Rex Ivie served as a combat engineer in World War II.
Matt Jarvis throws hay into a trough to feed his farm’s sheep at Jarvis Sheep Company on Friday, May 8, 2020, in Palmyra. According to the American Sheep Industry Association, restaurants cutting back services and reductions of wool and sheepskin processing markets during the pandemic have resulted in economic uncertainty for sheep ranchers in the United States. “The loss of the food service market due to the COVID-19 pandemic is devastating to the American lamb industry,” an April 8 report from the American Sheep Industry Association said.
A sheep chews its food at Jarvis Sheep Company on Friday, May 8, 2020, in Palmyra.
Judy Royball, left, and Julia Thrall, both from Price, enjoy a take-out meal with Thrall’s service dog, a 9-year-old teacup Chihuahua named Bella, outside Provo Towne Centre mall Wednesday, May 6, 2020. Provo Towne Centre closed once coronavirus began to spread in Utah, and it reopened its doors to the public on May 4 with new precautions such as maintaining social distancing standards, offering sanitization stations at mall entrances, producing signs that guide guests throughout the property for a safer shopping experience, and reducing seating in common areas and food courts.
Trisha Parker holds face masks she’s in the process of finishing as she poses for a portrait Thursday, May 28, 2020, outside of her home in Lehi. The tree in front of Parker’s home has become a place where she hangs her face masks of varying sizes once she’s finished creating them, and they are free for anyone to take.
Faculty wave to graduating senior Isabel Hirst as her father, Richard, photographs the occasion during Maple Mountain High School’s drive-thru diploma ceremony Wednesday, May 20, 2020, in Spanish Fork.
Graduating seniors make their way across the stage to receive their diplomas during Timpview High School’s drive-thru diploma ceremony Thursday, May 21, 2020, in Provo.
A graduating senior’s vehicle drags cans through the procession during Timpview High School’s drive-thru diploma ceremony Thursday, May 21, 2020, in Provo.
American Fork Mayor Brad Frost elbow-bumps Nate Harris before giving him a hat and other items during a parade of vehicles to honor the U.S. Army veteran on his 33rd birthday outside the Heritage Care Center on Tuesday, May 12, 2020, in American Fork. About 70 vehicles paraded down the street in front of Harris at the care center to pay respects to the veteran and celebrate his birthday.
Theatre and drama teacher Kara Poulsen poses for a portrait in her classroom at Diamond Fork Junior High School on Tuesday, May 12, 2020, in Spanish Fork. Poulsen recently earned the Beverly Taylor Sorensen Utah Drama Teacher of the Year award. She taught at Spanish Fork Junior High School for eight years, and DFJHS for 24 years for a combined 32 years.
Construction workers secure equipment as they prepare to lift the first bridge beam section of a pedestrian bridge into place while construction continues on the project at Utah Valley University on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, in Orem. The bridge will eventually span over Interstate 15, connecting UVU and the Orem Central intermodal transit station.
Former NFL defensive back Burgess Owens, a Republican running for Utah’s 4th Congressional District seat currently held by Democrat Rep. Ben McAdams, poses for a portrait at his home in Draper on Monday, May 11, 2020. Owens played in the NFL from 1973 to 1983, playing for the New York Jets for seven years and Oakland Raiders for three years, winning Super Bowl XV with the Raiders in 1981.
Keawe Naluai, director of sales operations with the Ken Garff Automotive Group, unloads meals donated by the automotive group with fellow Ken Garff employees at American Fork Hospital on Wednesday, May 27, 2020.
Natalie Fricklin, of Orem, poses as her daughter takes a photo of her during the Hope Lives Here: Light the Night event held Friday, May 8, 2020, at Timpanogos Regional Hospital in Orem. Fricklin explained that she was a patient at the hospital in November of this past year, and that she went into cardiac arrest five times, but health care workers, pictured in her sign, helped her stay alive and kept Fricklin and her family consoled and comfortable.
Graduating seniors Lainey McEvoy, left, and Natalie Brinkerhoff dance to music from High School Musical while their families and friends follow in vehicles behind them after the graduates received their diplomas during Lone Peak High School’s drive-thru diploma ceremony Wednesday, May 27, 2020, in Highland.
Kaitlyn Anderson, 14, shoots off confetti and cheers for her sister, Matayia, as she receives her diploma during Lone Peak High School’s drive-thru diploma ceremony Wednesday, May 27, 2020, in Highland.
Graduating senior Kaeley Jenson hugs her mother, Melissa Evans, after Kaeley received her high school diploma during Maple Mountain High School’s drive-thru diploma ceremony Wednesday, May 20, 2020, in Spanish Fork.