Bridgewater-Raritan High School Class of 2024 will have its graduation at the Jersey Mike’s Arena at Rutgers University in Piscataway this year, a new change to the school’s graduation ceremony.
The ceremony will be held on Wednesday, June 19.
Traditionally, graduating classes receive their diploma at Basilone Memorial Field at the high school. This year, the bleachers at Basilone are torn down and being renovated as part of the Referendum 2023 project. As a result, graduation would have had to take place inside the high school’s large gym, which many people disfavored.
The seniors are at the forefront of the latest changes and have been very vocal about the new graduation location. Senior Shubhang Sharma was pleased with the ceremony being held at Rutgers.
“I like the ceremony being at Rutgers. This senior class is also big, so it makes sense for it to be there,” he said.
This sentiment was agreed upon by many other seniors who were interviewed. An estimated 694 students will graduate.
On the contrary, a few seniors noted their disapproval of the new location. Kevin Wang shared his wishes for a feeling of completeness.
“Since pre-school, we have grown very familiar with the BR community and have come to call this place home. We would’ve liked to have the graduation ceremony at BR so that everything comes full circle in the end,” he said.
The upcoming Class of 2025 has also expressed their opinion on whether or not their graduation ceremony should be held at Rutgers.
Ansh Butani believed that Basilone Field brought a personal connection to graduation that Rutgers could not.
“I would like to culminate my experience here rather than going outside to another venue that I do not feel personally connected to,” Butani said.
Gregory Young, however, believed that the change to Rutgers was necessary.
“Having graduation at Rutgers would allow for better conditions like not being cramped in a hot turf field for hours,” Young said.
Teachers also weighed in about the venue change.
Mr. Raymond Mery, a math teacher at the high school, believes the change takes away the connection of students with the school.
“I personally don’t like [the change] because I think it is a bit impersonal. Doing the ceremony at the school has a little bit of a connection rather than doing it at the stadium,” Mery said.
With many opinions being provided for and against the graduation ceremony being held at Rutgers, the primary question is whether the school will continue to hold the ceremony at Rutgers for the next classes as well.
Nonetheless, the graduation ceremony continues to remain an important part of many seniors’ years, marking the end of nearly a decade of schooling and the memories that come with it.
