Collegiate High School Celebrates 2021 Graduates with Senior Drive-Thru Celebration

College of the Mainland’s Class of 2021 Collegiate High School (CHS) graduates celebrated in grand fashion during a drive-thru car parade held in the college’s parking lot on May 21. Families remained in their vehicles as CHS staff and spectators gathered to cheer on graduates riding in vehicles adorned with balloons and personalized messages and well-wishes.

Organized by the program’s staff, the event marked the culmination of a memorable school year for the 111 CHS students graduating amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The parade served as an alternative to the program’s traditional end-of-year Student Recognition Banquet usually held in the spring.

“The COVID-19 has had a huge impact on the CHS program and staff just the same as it did on the entire COM community,” said Collegiate High School Director Sandi Belcher. “Students and staff had to learn the Blackboard online format and get use to the idea that they would no longer be face-to-face.” Then came the Spring semester, social distancing and hybrid format of classroom instruction, all the transitioning has had a real toll of the CHS student body, faculty, and COM community, but these 111 seniors persevered and graduated high school and 93 with associate degrees.

College of the Mainland’s CHS program, which is available to Clear Creek, Dickinson, Friendswood, Hitchcock, Odyssey Academy, Santa Fe, Texas City, and home- or private-schooled high school students, allows participants to earn an associate degree while simultaneously completing a high school diploma.

Click here to view more photos from the CHS graduation parade celebration.