Gov. Greg Abbott announced May 5 that Texas school districts would be allowed to host in-person celebrations beginning June 1.
Schools had previously been closed since March 16 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
In accordance with safety guidelines issued by the Texas Education Agency, each graduate was limited to three guest tickets to allow attendees to maintain social distance.
Guests were asked to maintain 6 feet of distance between groups, and hand sanitizer dispensers were available throughout the stadium.
Face masks were not required to be worn by guests, but students and staff were required to wear masks before the ceremony. Graduates were permitted to remove their masks after taking their seats on the field.
In place of a traditional graduation processional into the stadium, students walked a “victory lap” around the field to maintain social distance between participants.
New Braunfels High School’s graduating class of 2020 numbered 664, all of whom completed their final semester virtually because of school closures.
The graduation was also streamed live on the school’s YouTube channel, and a virtual graduation was aired on YouTube on May 28.
