In recognition of the unprecedented challenges this years graduating class has experienced, as well as those students unique capacity to meet the moment, St. Johns Prep is hand-delivering diplomas to its graduating seniors this month.

The journey, spanning 15 days from May 14-29, will cover 1,044.5 miles, endure approximately 200 hours and traverse 64 cities and towns across two states.

Co-piloting a school shuttle bus, Headmaster Edward Hardiman and Principal/Associate Head of School Keith Crowley are driving themselves to student residences using route-optimization software. All safe practices for Massachusetts residents issued by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health are being followed throughout the effort.

Like parents and educators everywhere, our school community has been determined to celebrate and honor our 2020 graduates by every available means, said Hardiman, a Danvers resident. From the moment this idea came up, we believed committing the time and resources to make it happen should be a top priority.

To make the initiative even more meaningful, 112 faculty and staff members have volunteered to personally attend individual diploma drop-offs for every single graduate. The vast majority of faculty and staff are making multiple home visits.

In all, Prep faculty and staff will combine to make more than 500 visits to individual diploma deliveries. At least a half-dozen faculty or staff across different departments signed up to attend more than a dozen such individual ceremonies, and several will attend more than 20.

Families have welcomed the Preps traveling commencement ceremony to front yards, side yards, back yards, curbsides, doorsteps, sidewalks and driveways all across the North Shore and beyond. The trip will carry diplomas to 14 graduates from New Hampshire, reaching as far north as New Castle and as far west as Windham. Across the Commonwealth, the route will hit municipalities along every compass point, including as far as Amesbury to the north, Gloucester to the east, Lynn and Revere to the south and Westford to the west.

Something magical happens when someone actually hands you that document, said Matt Green, a Beverly resident who received his diploma on May 19 and will attend Fordham University to study the fine arts with a concentration in theater. They made it such a beautiful moment. It was so special to have my family and teachers there to applaud. I was overwhelmed. It was an incredible seven minutes and something Ill never forget.

At a time when so many of us feel disconnected and out of sync, we believe that going door-to-door delivers a clear message to our graduates: We salute you, we celebrate with you, and were here for you, now and always, said Crowley, who also owns a degree in physical therapy and teaches human anatomy and physiology at the school. A primary focus at St. Johns Prep is guiding our students toward becoming their best selves. We hope our commitment to celebrate these graduates is a suitable model for that mission.

The Prep recently informed the families of 2020 graduates that the school is planning to host a downsized, ticketed and socially distanced commencement ceremony on campus in August, provided that the states phased reopening proceeds according to plan.

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St. Johns Prep hand-delivering nearly 300 Class of 2020 diplomas - Wicked Local