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Orange County high school seniors petition against drive-thru graduation-The Daily Tar Heel <br /> Carolina, a May 20 executive order by Gov. Roy Cooper limited all outside gatherings to just 25 people <br /> much less than the number of guests at a typical graduation ceremony. <br /> A senior at Cedar Ridge High School, Sumey is the first in her immediate family to graduate from high <br /> school. Her cousin, Chelsey Fairbrother, planned to travel from her home in New York to watch Sumey <br /> walk across the stage. Instead, last week Sumey signed a petition protesting modified "drive-thru" <br /> graduation ceremonies at two Orange County high schools: Cedar Ridge and Orange. <br /> "They're seniors—they work really, really hard," Fairbrother said. "It's really hard for them—they didn't <br /> get prom, they didn't get their last year in senior sports, they had a lot of things kind of stripped away from <br /> them because of everything that's going on. She's more so come to terms with it, that if that's how it has to <br /> go, then it's just how it is. But it's still heartbreaking." <br /> The petition, titled "Drive-Throughs are for BigMacs, not diplomas"was created by Cedar Ridge students <br /> two weeks ago, following the announcement that graduations at Cedar Ridge and Orange High School <br /> would have drive-in ceremonies for students. <br /> EDITORS PICKS <br /> 6M <br /> Column: Black America is Q&A: UNC grad and Heel Talk episode 10: UNC <br /> tired of fighting for USADA head Travis Tygart leaders discuss racial equity <br /> something we shouldn't talks Lance Armstrong case plans for the 2020-21 school <br /> have to fight for and more year <br /> "The pandemic has taken away things like prom, senior days, last days of school, signing yearbooks, <br /> spring sports, senior nights and other countless activities celebrating our accomplishments (we took it like <br /> champs and knew it was necessary)," the petition states. <br /> The petition proposes graduation be postponed until a traditional ceremony can be held outdoors with <br /> necessary safety precautions. <br /> "We have watched each other grow up and become young adults, and it would be a shame to move on <br /> from our childhood without proper closure. We want to celebrate, and say goodbye safely together. We <br /> wish you all well, and stay safe during this historical time," the petition states. "Drive-thrus are for getting <br /> BigMacs, not diplomas." <br /> https://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2020/05/orange-county-seniors-0527[6/16/2020 9:02:47 PM] <br />