Just when seniors thought they were going to have an almost normal graduation, a restriction was brought to Highland Principal Jeremy Chatterton yesterday. Only 150 of the nearly 400 seniors at the school will be given a seat on the floor at graduation.

“Everyone will get to walk across the stage,” Chatterton said. “But there is an issue and this is a University of Utah policy. They are only allowing 150 seats on the floor.”

As of right now, everyone will get a seat, but about half of the 2021 graduates will be in sectioned areas of the arena’s stands, rather than being directly in front of the stage.

This causes complications for Highland administration, because they don’t have a perfect solution for picking the students who get a floor seat. They are in the midst of conversation to decide how students will be chosen — a lottery system and alphabetical assignments are both proposed options.

Highland senior Kate Baer was excited to be together one last time with her senior classmates and was disheartened when she heard the news. She also was shocked that this was announced the same day that Utah Governor Spencer Cox lifted the mask mandate in K-12 schools for the last week of classes.

“I don’t understand how they are going to pick the students that get a seat,” Baer said. “It makes me so sad.”

Until the district comes to a conclusion about how they will pick seniors who will have a seat on the floor at the Huntsman Center, seniors can only hope that one will be reserved for them.

Important Upcoming Dates for Seniors:

May 25th @7pm – Senior Awards Night

June 2nd – Cap and Gown Pick-Up

June 3rd – Graduation Rehearsal 

June 4th @1pm – Commencement