Hey JVA Seniors! Graduation is just around the corner, and a lot of work has gone into getting everything ready for the big day. With just two weeks to go, we interviewed Ms. Mitchell to find out exactly what goes into celebrating the class of 2025 and what students can look forward to during the main event. Let’s dive in!
Note from Ms. Mitchell: Hello there! My name is Shannon Mitchell and I’ve had the privilege of serving JVA in various roles and one of my favorite responsibilities has been coordinating graduation. It’s a fulfilling challenge that I’ve been lucky to take on for the past seven years!
What goes into planning graduation?
Organization is key when it comes to pulling off a milestone event like this. There are so many moving parts, and having everything clearly outlined in one place helps minimize errors and (hopefully!) reduce stress, allowing everyone to enjoy the celebration to the fullest. That said, things rarely go exactly as planned and that’s okay! A big part of life is learning to make the best out of the unexpected.
And I definitely don’t do this alone! I’m fortunate to work with a team of caring colleagues who volunteer their time and creativity to bring it all to life. Special shout-out to Ms. Hetzel and the Yearbook class for creating a personalized slideshow that highlights each graduate as they walk across the stage. We also have wonderful partnerships with vendors who help setup the venue and provide services like catering, live streaming and photography. It really does take many hands and I’m grateful to have the team we do to honor and celebrate our graduates.
While our graduates are absolutely the champions of the day, I also want to recognize their incredible support systems – caregivers, counselors, learning specialists, teachers, and more. They’re the unsung heroes behind the scenes, and graduation is just as much a celebration of their efforts too.
What will this year’s ceremony entail?
We will honor the Class of 2025 at this year’s 16th Commencement Ceremony at the Colorado School of Mines Green Center Auditorium on May 14th at 7pm. Graduates arrive at 4:30pm for rehearsal, photography and dinner. Doors open to guests at 6:15pm.
Everything else you need to know about graduation can be found here – 2025 Graduation Checklist
Tune in and watch via live streaming through JVA’s YouTube Channel!
Class of 2024
