After the last nine weeks of their high school careers dissolved in a sea of bitter pandemic-induced disappointments, the Kingfisher Class of 2020 was feted in style Saturday in what many described as the most memorable graduation ceremony they’d ever attended.

Many districts have opted for virtual or drive-by versions of traditional ceremonies, with actual, in-person commencements promised at the end of the summer, if and when social distancing rules are relaxed to accommodate large crowds.

But Kingfisher’s school board, administration, faculty and staff donned their thinking caps to come up with a creative solution to bring the 127 members of the 127th graduating class the recognition they deserved, with family members in attendance.

“This class has been dealt something that no others had and we just wanted to do everything possible to make them and the parents know how appreciated they were,” Supt. Jason Sternberger said.

Held in the football stadium rather than the All Purpose Building, the ceremony flipped traditional seating arrangements and put family members on the field and graduates in the stands.

That allowed graduates to be seated six feet apart and family groups to be separated by similar social distances on the field.

Traditional elements of the commencement ceremony remained in place – speeches, musical performances and the “Diapers to Diplomas” slideshow – with just a few twists.

The top 10 of the school’s 28 honor graduates gave brief valedictory speeches.

But instead of each choosing a speaking topic based on the letters of a motivational word like “success” or “excellence,” this year’s word was “quarantine.”

Valedictorians who spoke included Emma Barnett, Victoria Gerken, Sarah Sanders, McCall Sinclair, Jentry Squires, Harrison Themer, Ashtin Witt and Coltyn Young.

Matthew Palmer and Alexis Stitt introduced this year’s inductees into the KHS Hall of Fame – alumnus Derek Wrobbel and former teacher Patricia Lemon – but the inductees were not present and will be recognized in person at the 2021 commencement.

Senior members of the select choir, one of many state-qualifying student groups who were denied the chance to actually compete, sang “The Climb,” their last performance together.

Another surprise and heartwarming highlight of Saturday’s ceremony involved class reporter Hunter Wittrock.

After spending four years navigating high school hallways in a wheelchair, Hunter walked across the stage with the aid of a walker and two assistants to accept his diploma.

Others who participated in the ceremony included Kaci Jackson, invocation; Callie Varnell, flag salute; Hannah Wittrock, welcome and slideshow and Diego Olivares, benediction.

KHS Principal Todd Overstreet presented the class and Supt. Sternberger offered final comments.

“From the beginning, it was all about the kids,” Sternberger told the Times & Free Press this week. “We wanted to make it as special as possible and it turned out to be a very special day.

“We are humbled by the amount of people who reached out thanking us.”