On Friday, June 5 at 6 p.m., the senior class of Weatherly Area High School will have its graduation ceremony outside, in the middle school parking lot, like a drive-in movie. Due to the restrictions for Carbon County imposed by the Pennsylvania government to combat the COVID-19 virus, graduates can attend within their family’s car, and listen to the ceremony via the car’s FM radio.

Pastor Rodney Murphy of the Faith Assembly of God Church will loan the district the FM transmitter that the church uses for their drive-in Sunday services. That transmitter will broadcast the ceremony on 98.1 FM to receivers within a couple of hundred feet.

At the Weatherly Area School Board meeting on May 13, high school Principal Anthony DeSpirito told the board that they were able to get Funfest’s main stage loaned for the event.

“We will be parking near the baseball field … with cars 12 feet apart. We can fit 51 cars. … We can have the valedictorian, salutatorian and class president give their speeches” from the stage. When it’s time for the diploma presentation, each student can exit from the cars they are in, and walk up to the stage to get their diploma.”

In case of rain, the event will be held the next day, or if it rains again, the following day, until it’s held.

DeSpirito estimates that the ceremony will take a bit more than a half-hour. He added it will be livestreamed for any people who cannot be there.